Brighter than the Sun
by Spiziri
Summary: Prequel to The Lost Hero. After the events of the Last Olympian, Alex, Peyton, and Tyler join Percy and co. to stop the thief of the Sun Chariot from raising Typhon. I do not own anything except many of my OCs like Alex, Tyler, Peyton, Macy, etc. All critisism is welcomed! Please review!
1. Chapter 1

Alex is in love. (Almost) Sixteen, but she's in love. She couldn't have had any other boyfriend. He was her other half. He is Tyler Blackstone. Alex couldn't be possibly any happier than she is. Everything just seemed so right in the world. Like the sun is finally shining on her.

"You're practically glowing." Peyton Greenly remarked in her country accent. Alex always wondered why Peyton has the sweet country accent and she doesn't. Alex figured it's because she lived in Dallas her whole life, and half of Peyton's life was spent in Oklahoma, but because Peyton's dad and aunt Thalia were good friends, Alex and Peyton have been best friends since they were six. She has the sweet Okie accent that she's always wished to have.

"Am I? I didn't notice." Alex replied with a giggle.

"How do you do it?" Peyton asked with a confused look across her face.

"Do what?" Now it was Alex's turn to be confused. She was never good at anything. Alex has a very severe case of dyslexia in which she can't read or write well. Not to mention she also has ADHD. Unfortunately, she's in special ed., and she's the oldest in her class. But athletics was her best class.

"You're always radiating with energy. Everybody wants to be around 'ya." She explained. Alex smiled at the compliment.

"Thanks, but I have no clue about what you're talking about." Alex said, changing into sweats and a tank top. It was nothing new if they got in trouble. Alex always has been kicked out of all sorts of schools, but she managed to get into the same private school her childhood best friend attends. Peyton's smarter than Alex is and enjoys school very much.

Alex is an orphan. It's a dark story, but basically, she never met her dad. He left her mom when she was pregnant with Alex. Just dumped her off in the streets with no explanation. As Alex grew older, maybe at the age of five, her mom realized that she look too much like her dad. This drove her mom crazy. She felt so heartbroken as her old wounds just ripped open. She couldn't handle that pain and sadness anymore. She had depression. As the months went by, until finally, she committed suicide and drowned herself. And she's an only child. At such a young age, Alex didn't know what was going on until she realized she was being passed from relative to relative. They all adored her, but there's always something in the way. Whether it was "misbehaving," or another baby came into the picture, or they get arrested. She still doesn't understand how she ended up in the orphanage for nine years.

Peyton's story's nicer. Everyone's story is nicer. Peyton's not an orphan. Her dad is the nicest guy there is, but she's a poor girl… It soon became too dangerous for her to live in the neighborhood that her dad sent her to this private school with all the money he had. She hasn't seen him in months. Her mom died from childbirth. At least, that's what she told Alex, but Alex didn't believe her. She's lying. Alex could always tell when someone was lying. Kind of sad, but it still seemed happier than Alex's.

"The sun was shinnin' today so that must mean the day made ya feel good." Peyton giggled at her joke. It's this joke between Alex and Peyton that when Alex's happy the sun's shinning. When she's sad, it either becomes cloudy or rains. It's a bunch of bull in Alex's mind. Pure coincidence. Peyton begs to differ.

"Well actually, I am quite depressed." Alex grinned. She smiled. Alex pulled her iPod out of her bag. It was the newest model. She always had her way of getting the newest model of iPods. Alex is an addict, she admits, to her iPod. She placed her ear buds in her ears and blasted the music up. Alex still tuned into her conversation with Peyton though as she herself changed into a comfy t-shirt and sweats in her old bedroom with whom she shared with Dina, Ashlyn, Brooklyn, And Macy. Peyton stayed in that room too. They each had their own bed, some smaller than their height.

Peyton is always welcomed the orphanage and she stays there half the summer. The other half she goes to visit her father, but he always shuffles her along back to school as soon as the dormitory reopens for the school year. Its not that he doesn't love her—her loves her like a father should—its just that he doesn't have enough to give to her. And you know Peyton's the sweetest thing. She doesn't care about how much he has. She loves her father so very much and accepts anything he offers to her. She doesn't care that she might end up eating two meals a day.

Alex was growing sleepy. She was always a morning person…sometimes... She dug out her drumsticks and looked at them closely. Something unknown was engraved in the wood, but Alex didn't care. She loved the drums and guitar (she was also a secret piano prodigy), but she plays any instrument really.

"Hey, beautiful." A male voice whispered in Alex's ear. Alex squealed and wrapped her arms around Tyler's neck.

"Where is everyone? It's so quiet now..." The orphanage contained twenty kids of all ages from 5-18. The orphanage was huge, old, and run-down. The house was divided up by ages. The top level—the third level—holds four rooms. Ages 5-9 are up there. Ages 10-14 are on the second floor, which contains four more bedrooms, and on the main level is five and below which holds only four bedrooms including the master bedroom. The basement is a shocking three-room floor! Now, each floor is divided in half by boys and girls. There is a bathroom on each half. Well, it was, but now the only floor that this rule is used in is the basement. Aunty Thalia is such a worry bug. Everyone shares a room. Aunty Thalia watches everyone, but the older kids help out with the younger ones. Aunty Thalia is just like a normal mother. On the main floor, you have your playroom, living room, kitchen, and dinning room. You're typical home. Alex supposed that everyone in the basement were all watching a movie and pigging out on snacks. It's what they usually do on summer nights when school's out for three months.

"The tykes are asleep. They wanted to stay up, but Aunt Thalia made them go to bed. It was pretty amusing because Dina gave them sugar before bed. She got away with it, of course, but Aunt Thalia made the twins round up the tykes and put them to bed. Come on, Lexi. Lets go watch a movie." Tyler explained, amusement playing in his dark eyes. Dina was fifteen and Italian. She was tall and lean-built with an Italian accent and extremely long dark hair with a small braid. She had perfect teeth, a big nose, and big brown eyes. The twins were Ashlyn and Brooklyn. They were sixteen with auburn hair and hazel eyes. They were tall and had athletic builds. They wore the same clothes and played sports all the time. No one could tell them apart except for Alex.

Alex giggled.

Fresh red paint was on the walls that were covered with posters. The carpet was clean, and also were the couch and beanbag chairs. The lights were off, but you could tell the light bulbs were colored. New tan curtains hung over the small windows. The new, larger television was on with all the teenagers lying on the couch, chairs, beanbag chairs and pillows surrounding it. They were covered in cozy blankets wearing comfy pajamas eating popcorn and other junk food. Alex didn't know what the movie was, but it looked like a comedy judging by the smiles on their faces. When Alex entered the main living room area, she noticed that her red beanbag chair that sat nuzzled between Tyler's and Peyton's/Sophie's was occupied by Dante. They share a chair because Peyton really likes to use it when Sophie doesn't. Sophie usually sits with her best friend, a boy called Howard. Tyler doesn't even use his. He and Alex sit on Alex's beanbag chair wrapped in each other's arms.

Alex doesn't like it when she wants to relax, when she can't because someone is in her chair. Alex marched behind her beanbag chair, where Dante laid on his belly. Alex is strong. She lifted up the back end of her huge red beanbag chair and dumped Dante off.

"Hey!" He cried. Before he could get up, Alex moved her beanbag chair onto Dante and plopped down on it. She opened her bag of Cheetos and watched the movie as the rest of her fellow orphans laughed.

"You're so violent…" wheezed Dante from under the chair. He was about seventeen and a baseball player. But Alex was sixteen and made sure that Dante couldn't shove her off. Okay, so she's still fifteen but in two weeks, she will be sixteen.

"I still can't believe you got away with a tattoo at fifteen without parents' permission." Peyton remarked, looking at Alex's arm. On Alex's arm is a strange glittering gold tattoo of something like an upside down U with something like a laurel and a harp-thingy. "I remember the day you got it like yesterday. Ya wanted a purty gold tattoo. That was the only one, so you settled for that one. Cute, ain't it?" Peyton explained. Alex remembered. It stung a lot to the point of tears threatened her, but the tattoo artist said it was okay for her to cry because she knows it hurts. And Alex cried and cried and cried that day until it was all over.

"Yo, Robinson!" A voice called from behind. Alex turned and faced an old rival named Macy. Well, Macy has only been at the orphanage for two years. Same age as Alex, tall, athletically-built and had sandy blonde hair. It was cut short, and she had icy blue eyes with a sneaky look in them. She was born in Connecticut. Her father died from a plane crash and she lived with only her mother until she was five. She doesn't recall having any siblings, but when she ran away, she ran to her grandmother's house. A few years ago, her grandmother developed Alzheimer disease and Macy got sent here to live.

"Hey, Macy. 'Sup?" Alex asked, eating Cheetos and sipping some of Tyler's coke.

"You forgot already, didn't you?" She asked, marching up to Alex and placing her hands on her hip.

"You wanted me to kick your butt at DDR again, right?" Alex suggested.

"You owe me a rematch after last week. You didn't win because of the power outage." Macy grumbled.

"Well let's do this now. I kicked your butt then, I'll kick it now."

"You're not so tough. You're just all talk." Snarled Macy. And so, Peyton helped set up the old DDR set. Dante worked his magic and changed the music so it played Alex's iPod. It was a used DDR set that occasionally broke, but they loved it. Sure, they had to spend every penny they mustered together, but it was worth it.

"I'm picking the song." Alex declared, switching the song to one of her favorite's (as was everyone else's), "Party Rock Anthem." Alex let the music flow through her like it always moved her, but Macy was no slacker. She was always light on her feet. Her feet moved quickly, they've always moved quickly. It was an interesting game for sure. Alex and Macy's meter turned both turned rainbow at the same time and they were on the same Expert level.

It was just a game, but it was pretty intense. The score ended with a tie.

"Rematch. Tomorrow night." Macy declared. Alex caught her breath. She broke a sweat, but Macy was perfectly fine.

"Count on it," Alex agreed. They shook on it.

The rest of the night was like a typical night for Alex, relaxing and joking with her old friends as they watch endless movies eating endless junk food. Alex soon passed out on her chair comfortably in Tyler's arms with her friends surrounding her.

It was organized chaos, something they were used to everyday. Breakfast. Aunt Thalia has the older kids help make breakfast. Aunty Thalia had her long blond hair pulled into a messy bun. She wasn't really Alex's aunt, but Alex called her that ever since she can remember. The younger ones set the table. Phoebe, Macy, and Alex helped make pancakes and bacon for breakfast as the younger kids ran around making messes. You know, the typical stuff that happens at orphanages. William was able to settle the kids down with Christina, and soon everyone was eating happily at the kitchen table eating their pancakes and bacon.

"I hope you're free this afternoon, Alex. I need you to help me with my poetry books." Alex was neutral on poetry. But Aunt Thalia, don't get her started on that. Poetry is her life. Alex enjoys William Shakespeare very much. She's listened to all the audio books of his stories. Alex even enjoys writing and reading poetry once in a while. But when it becomes excessive like a whole book, then she gets quite bored and annoyed. "Or, would you rather help deliver some care packages for New York to the post office?"

"You never told me what ever happened to New York three weeks ago." Alex said.

"Yes I did. A devastation."

"Yes but what kind of devastation?" Alex asked, leaning forward.

"Details aren't important. What is important that kids your age need your help. And we can help them by sending care packages." She explained.

"What's even in them?" Alex asked.

"Details aren't important. They're just the necessities." Alex sighed, knowing that the conversation was over, judging by her tone. Alex took her plate and dumping it in the sink. She walked out the back door and went to the shed in the back. In there, she dug out the lacrosse equipment and prepared for the game they planned on having. It wasn't even noon and the Texas heat was hitting her. She wore a red tank top and some shorts. Her gold tattoo shined and glittered brightly in the bathing sunlight like her golden heart shaped locket that she could never open (so cliche). Her sandy blonde hair was put up high to keep her cooler in the Texas heat in the early noon.

Eventually, Alex was joined by her old lacrosse team. Kelly, Ashlyn, Joni, Dina, and Dylan. Dylan was the goalie, Joni and Kelly was Alex's defense, Ashlyn, Dina, and Alex were offense. There was other lacrosse games going on. Only two other teams, though, were with the ages 10-14. Alex soon learned that her opposing team today was Tyler's. His team contained Dante, Trey, Brooklyn, and Macy. They were all fairly athletic, but Alex knew Tyler's team weakness. They shot for the goal from too far away. That's why Alex chose specifically Dylan to be her goalie. As insensitive as he is, he's very fast. He can catch any ball they fling at him. But Macy, she was very fast too. She can run so fast, Alex swears, that she can fly. Her feet don't touch the ground. It scared Alex, but she didn't show it. She was on Tyler.

A whistle was blown. A ball was thrown. The game began. Dante caught the ball with his stick and tried to plow his way through. But Joni smacked the ball down and tried to scoop it up. Instead, those two were only shoving it away from each other. This was Alex's opportunity. She raced forward and scooped up the ball. She just sprinted to the goal as everyone came on her. She ducked, spun, and side stepped out of the way like a lacrosse warrior. She was unstoppable. The last thing the poor goalie (Trey) saw was everything spinning. Alex whizzed around him and shot the ball into the goal. This process continued throughout the game. It wasn't easy for Alex or her team, but the game was stuck with a high tie. When it comes to lacrosse, Alex becomes very aggressive and competitive, especially towards her boyfriend on the opposing team.

Tyler sprinted across the field, ball in his cradle. Alex did a simple trick and just rammed right into him with her stick. Their sticks were locking, both exerting powerful forces trying to knock each other off. Alex refused to be defeated.

"Give it up, Lexi. I'm a football player, don't you remember? I purposely tackle the lights out of people." He said. Their faces were just inches apart, drenched in sweat.

"Try me. I won't be defeated." Alex smirked and wanted just then to duck and step out of the way so he could fall forward, but she got distracted. A sudden dark—no, black—cloud formed overhead. This too, distracted the lacrosse teams. Almost everyone stopped. The winds picked up crazily and there was lightning. There was so much lightning and thunder and wind, that all of hell broke loose. The kids began to scream when a lightning bolt hit a tree.

"Kids! Get inside! Now!" Shrieked Aunt Thalia. Creatures came from the clouds, black as the clouds so you couldn't tell where they went. You can identify their outlines with all the lightning, but there was laughter. As they neared the Earth, Alex locked on them perfectly. She raised her lacrosse stick and charged at the spirits, trying to whack them. Some hit, some didn't. Alex didn't care. She just wanted them to go away. She screamed and whacked like a barbarian.

"Alexandra!" Aunt Thalia called. Alex raced over to her and tried to whack any spirits that tried to hurt her. Some hits only went through them. "Alexandra, take this." She handed Alex her drumsticks and a flash drive.

"Drumsticks and a flash drive!?" Alex cried.

"They're powerful weapons." Aunt Thalia said.

"Drumsticks and a flash drive..." Alex chucked a drumstick and it nailed a spirit right where Alex thought its eye was. She smiled. "You're right. It is powerful." The spirit shrieked and covered its eye with its hand, crying in agony. Alex laughed at it. It growled and lunged at her. She ducked and stabbed it behind it's back with her lacrosse stick, turning into gold dust. "What's going on!?" Alex screamed over the howling wind.

"You threw the drumstick… I hope they come soon…" Aunt Thalia muttered.

"Aunt Thalia! They keep coming back!" Alex shrieked.

"Then use your drumsticks or flash drive."

"I did!"

"Use it again."

"I can't keep stabbing them in the eye, Aunt Thalia." This protest kept going on and on while those thingies kept creating havoc. "What are they?"

"Storm spirits. Change in plan, Alex. Get Tyler and Peyton. The three of you run a mile up the street and there's a barn up there. Get on the horses and get to camp. When you get to camp, find a guy named Chiron and tell him Thalia the Muse sent you and that she's sorry."

"Thalia the Muse? Is this some kind of game!?" Alex shrieked. Alex hated sick jokes like this that threatened the safety of her "siblings."

"No, Alexandra!" Her voice was almost icier than the wind. "This is not some game or sport of yours. You will do as I say and get out of here." Alex was freezing in the icy wind, but she was drenched in sweat and icy rain. Her world was spinning. This wasn't happening. Either Alex is dreaming this all, or this is a sick joke.

Nonetheless, Alex didn't have much of a choice. Gripping her only weapon—her lacrosse stick—she bolted into the orphanage, too scared to look back at maybe the last time she'll see her dear Aunt Thalia.


	2. Chapter 2

It wasn't hard to find Peyton and Tyler. They were throwing important stuff into backpacks and chucking them downstairs while Christina, Joni, William, and the rest of the older kids got the younger ones downstairs. Tyler and Peyton practically chucked everything downstairs, not with the slightest care that it would hit someone. They looked about done, probably checking to see if they got everything. Food, water, first-aid kits, clothes, et cetera. Alex knew they wouldn't leave so easily. They want to help the children, but Alex had to get them out of here. The orphanage was shaking. The windows were blown out and wind blew everything everywhere. Something hit Alex in the side of the head. She picked it up off the ground. Her drumstick.

"Peyton, Tyler, front and center!" Alex yelled over the howling wind. Aunt Thalia was somehow holding off the storm spirits… Alex couldn't focus on her now. She had a job to do, and that was to get Peyton and Tyler to the barn. That is, that they make it to the barn and don't get swept away in a tornado and go over the rainbow and the only way to get back is to follow the yellow brick road. Peyton and Tyler rushed to Alex.

"Lexi, get downstairs! It's not safe here!" Tyler shouted.

"No. Tyler, Peyton, we have to get out of here. Now! Questions will be answered later." Alex explained.

"No! What about the kids!?" Peyton cried.

"Aunt Thalia's got it covered." Alex quickly responded.

"Tyler...I'm so scared... They're coming!" Nick clung to Tyler's leg.

"Don't worry, Nick. Just sit tight downstairs with Christina and Dante. I'll be down in a sec." Tyler reassured. Alex was running out of time. She didn't have time to plead, cry, or yell at them.

"Yeah. Tyler, I need your help to get the rest of the stuff." Alex tried. "Nicky, go downstairs. We'll be back soon." Finally, Nick obliged. Tyler and Peyton were still defiant and refused to leave. Her mind wanted to reason with them, but her body just took over itself. Tucking the lacrosse under her arm and putting the drumsticks into her boots pocket and the flash drive in her pocket, Alex grabbed Peyton and Tyler's hair and just ran. They screamed at the top of their lungs in agony, but Alex focused on her goal. She ran, forcing them to run with her. It was so uncomfortable and awkward for Alex to be running like this. She put their heads together in one hand and gave Peyton her lacrosse stick. Peyton finally had something to grip onto from the pain. It wasn't a towel she could bite on, but it'll do. Two screaming teenagers, many storm spirits, a lacrosse stick, two drumsticks, a flash drive, and what do you get? A very interesting high-speed chase.

Indeed the teens were in fact, being chased. Alex dared to look back. She didn't see Aunt Thalia, but there was a melody. Alex immediately identified the instruments. A bugle and a trumpet were being played. No, there wasn't any voice, but the music was beautiful and almost…comedic… It did seem to have an effect on the storm spirits. Most of them were lying on the ground, laughing uncontrollably. They seemed to want to get up and stop what was going on, but they were laughing so hard they were crying. Alex giggled at the sight, but kept on running up the hill because some storm spirits noticed their attempt to flee. They began to make their way up the hill. As they drew closer, the winds picked up even fiercer and colder. Alex shivered, but never let go of Tyler and Peyton's hair.

Her heart was seconds away from pounding it's way out of Alex's chest like when she pounded the fudge out of Dante. Funny thing is, she did it because he ate the last piece of fudge. Alex could've sworn she felt their hair frosting. Their screams and yells never stopped, causing Alex to wonder how bad their throats hurt. She also wondered if they noticed the advancing storm spirits. They were only four hundred meters away or less. Alex didn't know. She was never good at math.

The old red barn came into view as Alex continued to dash up the hill, dragging Tyler and Peyton while being chased by storm spirits. Alex's life as officially lost itself. Alex used to venture up to the barn when she was little and fool around in their with old friends that have long been adopted, but never forgotten from her memory. As the barn got closer, so did the storm spirits. 300 meters…200 meters…100 meters… Alex was at the barn door when they were less than 50 meters away. Alex let go of the screaming Tyler and Peyton and shoved open the barn door. All of the horses' heads turned to face Alex.

"Get on one. Don't question, just do it." Alex ordered, taking her stick in the process. Peyton scrambled onto a paint stallion, and Tyler jumped onto a dun Kiger mustang. Alex didn't have time to get on another horse. And Tyler and Peyton just climbed over the stall doors so they couldn't unlatch it. Alex charged at the storm spirits without thinking and starting trying to whack them. But most unfortunately only went through them. At least she was the target and her friends can get away. After she knew that Tyler and Peyton were securely on their horses, Alex used her lacrosse stick and took a chance.

She swung her lacrosse with all her power and knocked off three latches. Luckily, they were Tyler's and Peyton's. The doors swung open and out charged the wild horses. Alex had lost her balance and collapsed before the stalls.

"Alex!" Tyler and Peyton screamed, fearing that their horses would trample their faithful friend. But a strong, a white mare charged out of its stall. It grabbed Alex's lacrosse stick in her hand and dragged her out of the way. It was so quick, that Alex doesn't even remember seeing what happened. But her friends were already riding away without her, and there were some angry storm spirits after her. Alex scrambled onto the horse that saved her life and the mare took off at full speed with no hesitation. She didn't dare look back. She just held onto her lacrosse stick. Holding on for dear life, Alex felt like she was flying. In fact, she was. The mare had spread white wings and suddenly took to the crazy wind, flying with ease. Alex looked back, and Tyler and Peyton were taking off.

"This isn't happening! It's unreal! No way!" Alex cried, more to herself than to her dear friends. Alex remembered something, Peyton is afraid of heights.


	3. Chapter 3

Peyton never felt so free to be riding horses again. She's been waiting all year to ride one again, but she never planned to ride one to get away from monsters. The back of her head was terribly sore from her best friend Alex dragged her away by the hair. Nonetheless, Peyton never felt so free. But when she looked at the world whizzing by her, she only saw…clouds… She looked down and then screamed in true terror. She was miles in the sky and she noticed her paint stallion had long brown and white wings. Peyton was flying and she was sure she would fall.

"No! No! NO!" She screamed, "Put me down! Put me down! Put me down!" She wailed, so scared she almost began to cry. "I'm scared! I'm so scared! Help! Please Alex! Tyler! Help me!" Peyton fidgeted, trying to keep herself not form falling, but the horse below her shifted his weight so she could stay on. She gripped onto his mane and couldn't keep herself form looking down.

"Peyton, calm down. Just close you're eyes." Tyler reassured. Peyton closed her eyes tightly, wanting and wishing for nothing more than to get onto the ground. She felt the wind push against her stronger than it should. It was colder up here than below. Peyton hated the sky. Peyton hated gravity for pulling herself off and to plummet to her death. She's afraid of falling. I know I'll fall. I'll fall and hit the ground and die. This isn't happening. I'm not flying on a horse. This is just a sick nightmare, Peyton thought repeatedly. Her whole body was shaking uncontrollably. Her eyes stung from the harsh wind, but that never stopped the tears that brimmed her eyes. She never stopped screaming. Her throat burned like she was trying to eat broken glass, but she was so terrified, she didn't care. She just wanted to get out of the sky. She'd rather get dragged by the hill by her hair again than be here. She'd rather take her chances with those monsters than be flying in the sky. She'd rather do anything but fly.

"Where are we going?" Tyler asked Alex. Peyton could barely hear him.

"I have no clue! These winged-horses took off on their own will!" Alex shouted. She looked at her horse. "Where are you taking us?" The horse ignored her. Peyton had to open her eyes and watch, maybe to take her mind off it. She giggled at Alex, but then closed her eyes again because she almost looked down. Her heart was about to pound right out of her chest. Her hands were clammed frozen around the winged horse's mane. Her eyes still stung from threatening tears and the harsh winds. She didn't like the sky, and the sky didn't like her.

Peyton feels safer on the ground. Even after what happened in Oklahoma before she moved to Dallas, Texas, she felt more secure. Sure, the memory has scarred her for possibly forever and she's afraid of not only the Earth…but of herself she'd rather be down there than be up in the sky.

* * *

Alex took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The storm had cleared by now and Alex knew that Texas was long behind them. She wanted to go back. She really did, but she had to listen to Aunt Thalia. And plus, Alex did try to go back. Only, the stubborn horse kept going forward. Alex let it do what it wanted because quite frankly, she doesn't want to end up all scrambled eggs. Alex knew she couldn't do anything to help Peyton, so she just continued to reassure her. The horses didn't look like they were going to rest anytime soon either. Alex sighed and just wanted to close her eyes and rest for a little. But could she trust a horse? Maybe she was sleeping. Maybe she got hit in the head from lacrosse and was knocked out. She didn't know, but she was exhausted.

But she didn't trust herself to fall asleep…. _But you can. Can't you trust me to catch you when you fall?_ A voice whispered in her ear. It sounded like Tyler's. Alex relaxed. She trusted Tyler. She loved Tyler. Surely she could just close her eyes for a little and let Tyler take over?

And so she was out.

* * *

At the moment Peyton had opened her eyes she wished she didn't. She just watched Alex drift to sleep. But it was the strangest way Peyton has ever seen. It was so dreamily, she just slumped her head against the neck of the horse. It was cartoon-like. It…it made Peyton's stomach churn. Something wasn't right. People don't normally fall asleep like that. It terrified her even more. Her idol, leader, is out cold and Peyton certainly was too scared to take the challenge up herself.

"Tyler! Do you know where we are?" called Peyton. Tyler pulls his pocket watch from his pocket. Both Alex and Peyton knew it was a pocket watch, but no matter how much Tyler tinkered, he couldn't ever open it. Or so he said, because now, it was open. It was a pocket watch, but only the right side was. The left side of the pocket watch was a compass. Peyton gasped, "You could've opened it all along, couldn't you?"

"Yes. Mom gave this to me before she disappeared…" Tyler looked down, not wanting to talk more about the subject. It pained him, Peyton noticed. "I just didn't have the heart to open it. It was my dad's before he too went missing in the mountains." Tyler didn't look at Peyton.

"I'm so sorry for 'ya." Peyton comforted. She wanted to reach out to touch him, but when she looked down, she screamed again and closed her eyes.  
"We're on flying horses going as fast as jets northeast. I think we might…we might be going back to Cape Cod…" That's right. Tyler was from Cape Cod and a natural navigator just like his mom.

"Cape Cod? You can tell from so far away?" Peyton asked, not daring to open her eyes.

"Actually, I think we're already in Pennsylvania. We've been flying for almost two hours, believe it or not and it'll be another half an hour before we hit New York. So just sit back and relax and enjoy the ride." Tyler casually explained. Peyton wanted to scream again. Another whole half an hour, she thought. I've been holding on for this long, I can keep going. She closed her eyes and knew she couldn't stand being in the air for this long. She had to find a way to get out of it.

"Alex! Alex!" She called, trying to snap out of it. Nothing. Alex was always such a heavy sleeper, Peyton remembered. Her horse flew up beside Alex's. Peyton had to take her chance now. Just face her fear. It wasn't far of a reach. All she had to do was reach a little…

"What?" Alex groaned as she stirred and sleepily looked at Peyton.

"I have to pee."


	4. Chapter 4

And thus, they landed…. in New York City.

"I could've sworn we were in Pittsburg." Tyler protested.

"Yeah, because the Empire State Building is in Pittsburg." Alex grumbled. "It's sooo much colder here."

"But it's not so bad, Alex. It's still warm, but it's not good 'ole Texas heat." Peyton agreed.

"So you say you had to pee, didn't you, Peyton?" Tyler asked. Peyton snapped back into herself and quickly nodded. Alex knew this was just an excuse to avoid her fears. It annoyed Alex for sure, but she had to give it Peyton. She was becoming a better liar than Alex. Sure, Alex had a hard time lying. An extremely hard time lying, actually, so they had to be short and sweet and from a distance.

"I'm sure there's a bathroom in the Empire State Building." Alex suggested. She walked inside carrying her lacrosse stick with Tyler and Peyton. But as they approached a directory sign, Tyler froze.

"Somethin' wrong, Tyler?" Peyton asked.

"I…I think I'll wait outside and watch the horses. I don't know why no one's not noticing them, but I better make sure the police don't get their hands on them." Alex was a about to stop him, but Tyler couldn't get out the door faster. Alex looked back at the door, concerned and saddened.

"Don't let it get to 'ya. Tyler might'a gotten all claustrophobic with all them people in here." Peyton reassured Alex with a pat on the shoulder. As they drew nearer towards the restrooms, the two soon discovered the long line that awaited them.

"Maybe we can sneak upstairs a floor or two and get to an empty restroom. There are too many tourists." Alex said, grabbing Peyton's arm and making their way towards the elevator. As they walked, Alex noticed a sign saying the next tour was at 3:45 pm. It was 3:13 pm now. The most people were in the bathrooms, so Alex and Peyton weren't squished in the elevator.

But when they stepped into the empty elevator, Alex looked at the buttons to push to take them up or down. There was one button that stood out above all. It was the 600th floor button. Alex stared at it.

"Peyton, look!" Alex pointed to the buttons. The elevator door closed.

"We want the second floor, Alex." Peyton looked at her confused.

"No, look! There's a button for the sixth hundredth floor!" Alex pointed to the button.

"What are you talking about? There's no six hundredth floor button. Now, c'mon." Alex felt a strong compulsion to hit the button. She reached for it and just when she was about to press it, her whole arm jerked downward and slammed into the second floor button. The force from the jerk pulled her whole body into the wall. The elevator began to move up the floor.

"Are you okay, Alex? What happened?" Peyton asked, concern written across her face.

"I…I guess I t-tripped." That wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the truth either.

"You're lying, aren't you?" There it is. Alex got caught lying. Shocker.

"Well, I don't know what happened… There was just a force jerking me forward." Alex explained, rubbing her forehead. The elevator door opened and Peyton said no more. They didn't say anything at all the entire time. And when they reentered the elevator, the button was gone.

* * *

"You lost the horses!?" Alex cried. They had returned outside, and Alex found some money in her pocket so she bought herself a sweatshirt to keep herself warm from the cool New York air.

"I didn't exactly lose them. When I first came out, they were gone. I went around asking people about them, but they all gave me funny looks." Tyler explained. Alex leaned against the Empire State Building, her arms crossed. Peyton never felt so relieved. Tyler froze. Alex dropped her arms and looked at him.

"Smatter?" Peyton asked. His eyes went blank. He turned from them, and did something that surprised Alex. He ran away from them. Tyler is like a loyal dog to Alex. He was always by her side and never left it. He was there when she needed him, and she was there when he needed her. It was just so unlike Tyler to just run away for no reason. And Alex and Peyton are in such a dire situation, he should be pulling through on his end like usual.

"Tyler!" Alex called.

"Let's go! I can't lose that voice!" And he was gone in the crowds. Alex and Peyton exchanged looks.

As if reading Alex's mind, "I dun hear no voice. I think he lost his marbles…" They took off after Tyler. It was like any other day in New York City in the summer. Well, it was partly cloudy, but the clouds began to grow. They didn't threaten rain, but it was still grey and depressing. The streets, crosswalks, sidewalks, and everywhere else were crowded with people walking to and fro. Tyler was fast. He ran up ten blocks to the boat dock. There, he jumped on a boat and went to Long Island. Alex and Peyton caught up to him with difficulty because Peyton isn't made for endurance or sprinting. Nonetheless, they were all on the same boat, all going in the same direction.

Alex was trembling. She hadn't realized what she'd done, but she was on the boat, trembling and wanting to scream. She wanted to scream at Peyton and Tyler and get off the boat and get as far away as possible from the water and not end up like her mother and drown and to cry at her near death experience because she knows for a fact that this boat will sink and they will all drown and Alex will be forgotten and she'll fail her mission to bring Tyler and Peyton to safety and she'll get sent to whatever's down there.

"Where's your inhaler?" Peyton asked. Alex was hyperventilating.

"Who remembers an inhaler when they fly away on magic My Little Ponies but your best friend has a heart attack during the epic journey and they bring us to New York City where they decide to go on their own adventure and your boyfriend starts running away to Long Island when your deathly afraid of water?" Alex breathed. She had forgotten about breathing. But the thought of not breathing made Alex think of drowning and when Alex thought of that, she remembered she was on a boat and thus, she was gasping for air.

"Calm down, darlin'." Peyton reassured as she put her arm around Alex, feeling a twinge of pity and similarity. But Alex never really comforted Peyton like Peyton was doing for her now. Sure, it stung a little now, but Peyton will get over it eventually. It was true that Alex was farther away and stuck on a stubborn flying horse. She did attempt, but it wasn't like the comfort Peyton continued to give. Tyler didn't know they snuck on the boat he stole, but Peyton had a feeling that he'd find out soon if Alex decides to break down. Peyton knew it wasn't likely, though because Alex is usually good at keeping her cool…sometimes…

"The boat docked, let's go." Alex swallowed and took a deep breath, but she couldn't get out from under the boat's deck faster. She was soon disappointed to not see Tyler. Right there, Alex wanted to snap. She was such a baby, a wimp. She always wants to break down and cry whenever things go so horribly wrong. When she feels so weak, Tyler always just held her up. It was a selfish thing to be with him, and it could possibly be a reason she is in love with him.

"Aw, don't give up hope, Alex. I'm sure he's around."

"We have to find a needle in a hay stack…" Alex pointed out.

"It'll be fun—" They both turned at the sound. It was a very sweet and beautiful. It was faint, yes, and perhaps it's been going on the whole time. It was a woman's voice, singing. It was so beautiful, but there was something compelling about it.

"That's so weird," Alex murmured.

"Let's go. C'mon, I need to know what's up with this lady's singing." Peyton said. Alex followed the voice quickly. Peyton followed in step behind Alex, but never kept up with her pace. The beach was deserted, so it was easy to get around, but the sand liked to screw with them. With Alex's speed, she began to see Tyler in the distance, walking on a strip of land stretching out father into the ocean. It was rocky and the waves crashed angrily against the shore. Alex avoided the water as much as possible, but nearly screamed every time a wave crashed onto the shore. Peyton never said anything, mostly because if she would, she'd get drowned out from the growing voice of a woman's singing.

When Alex stepped onto the rocky strip that Tyler was on, she nearly slipped off dropping her lacrosse stick she's been carrying this entire time. She regained her balance quickly but then nearly slipped again when she heard Peyton scream. Alex was surprised because she should be the one screaming. When she looked at Peyton, her face was covered with horror and she pointed the other way. When Alex looked at the end of the strip, she saw Tyler standing at the edge, ready to jump. Alex's instincts took over.

"Watch you're step, Peyton! It's slippery out here." She took off. Alex raced towards Tyler. "Tyler! Tyler! Tyler, come back!" She called, tripping over a rock. She landed on her hands and feet, but pushed herself up. She slipped again and fell flat on her back. She didn't yell in pain and agony though. She was used to this in sports. She knows how to handle this. Just get up and keep going. Just get up. Just keep going. She repeated in her head. She pushed herself up again and started towards Tyler. The woman's voice was ringing in her head.

And then Tyler jumped.

Alex screamed for her lover and looked into the ocean. Tyler was in there, she thought. But as she gazed upon the angry Atlantic, she spotted mermaid-like women, singing as one on rocks in the sea. They're the ones doing the compelling. They're trying to kill Tyler. Alex picked up a rock the size of a baseball and chucked all the way out there. It was a perfect shot and it nailed one of the three mermaids in the head.

"Give me my boyfriend back!" Alex screamed at them. They hissed. Okay, so they're not your typical little mermaids like you see in the Disney movies. This is the hidden twisted version that is left out for kids. This is the more entertaining version. The mermaids dived into the water in her direction. But Alex wasn't scared anymore. But then she got scared all over again when she did something she desperately didn't want to do.

"Alex!" Peyton screamed.

She had jumped in the water too.

* * *

She had hit a rock in the process and she screamed on her fall. She flailed her body in every which direction, but then quickly stopped when she felt an arm. She grabbed the arm and forced herself to surface. She gasped for air and pulled Tyler to the surface, but his body was growing limp and unconscious. But then suddenly, he was jerked back into the water, pulling Alex down with him. She screamed as water filled her lungs and her vision began to blur.

Alex knew this was going to be how she died. She knew how stupid it was to listen to her Aunt Thailia to run. She knew it was stupid to jump in the water. She knew it was stupid to even stop in New York City. She knew it was stupid to fall asleep on the magic My Little Ponies. She knew it was stupid to follow Tyler on the boat. She knew it was stupid to think she can save Tyler and actually live. She knew it was stupid to go into the Empire State Building. She knew it was all so stupid.

As salt water filled her last breath of air, she prayed that Peyton would be able to get away, that her soul would be protected. She prayed for the children at the orphanage and for her Aunt Thalia. And as Alex descended deeper into the ocean and consciousness slipped away from her slowly, she prayed for the mermaids to spare Tyler and Peyton. She knew though that that wasn't going to happen.

Then all of a sudden, Alex found herself and Tyler being pushed up. There was a huge force of what? It felt like warm wind just shoving Alex to the surface. She was already numb from the icy waters, but this startled her. She was in no position to move or open her eyes so she didn't know what was going on. Then she felt a rush of cooler air coming in the opposite way.

It was refreshing. It was air.

Alex gasped for air and felt something wrap around her arms and legs. It was soft, but also firm as it pulled on her. It pulled up Alex and Tyler quickly on the beach. Then, it released itself.

"Alex! Tyler!" Peyton screamed as she ran their way. Alex coughed and crawled as far up the beach as she could, away from the water. She shivered and she began performing CPR on Tyler.

Alex was sweating. It wasn't helping much considering how soaking wet she already is. She had seaweed in her hair and mud on her face. Tyler coughed up salt water and sat up. Then she saw the mermaids creep up from the ocean and onto the sand.

"Tyler, Peyton, look out!" Alex yelled. She stumbled onto her feet and rushed to something that caught her eye. Her lacrosse stick had washed along the shore and she reached for it. And as she reached, she did one big sweep towards the mermaids who had webbed, scale-like legs and knocked them off their feet. Peyton and Tyler scrambled to their feet and they began running up the beach. As much as Alex wanted to hit them while they're down, she didn't. Her fear of water overcame her and she sprinted after Peyton and Tyler.

She sped ahead of Peyton and Tyler after a while, but the mermaids were fast. Not as fast as they were in water, but they were fast. Tyler was in no condition to run. He was wheezing and gasping for air but he kept on running.

They came across a large hill. The mermaids had split and were now coming in every direction but forward. Alex knew they weren't in any good shape to go up such a big hill, but they followed her. They're not leaders. They follow Alex. Alex didn't mind, but it put her on the spot more than she would've liked. If they laid a slimy finger on her friends, that'd be the last thing they'd ever touch. One did try to get close to Peyton, and Alex swung her lacrosse stick to her hideous face. She screeched in pain so loud and high-pitched, Peyton and Tyler covered their ears. Alex was used to noise though. She didn't even wince. She just pushed her way through the mermaids and up the hill.

They were suddenly swarmed. Alex held them off. Suddenly, her flash drive felt hot in her pocket. She pulled it out of her pocket and took a chance on it. She pushed the silver part up. But the little silver part that you insert in the computer didn't pop up. The flash drive had transformed into a large sword that glowed bronze in a holy-like light.

"Holy crap!" Alex cried. She dropped her lacrosse stick and remembered the fencing courses she took before. Well, it wasn't a foil, and Alex couldn't remember much. So she just ended up doing what she's been doing with her lacrosse stick: whacking them. She stabbed them and they turned to dust as Tyler and Peyton watched in amazement.

But it didn't last. Alex didn't even have time to react to the blow to the head and the swipe at her back.


	5. Chapter 5

"Even through the barrier, this is always the gloomiest week of the year... I never really noticed it until now because I have nothing better to do..." A female's voice grumbled. Her tone made her sound unhappy.

"I thought you may have already heard the story..." A man's voice spoke back. "Sixteen years ago, The rarest thing happened. Other than the fact that the Big Three broke their promise, Apollo had a daughter. A demigod, yes, but she had goddess powers. This is a rumor, but he must've seen something in the future that she will grow to be another goddess like what happened to Dionysus. She lived on Olympus with him until she was one and one day she rode on her Pegasus, a present from Poseidon. She fell off it and fell from Mt. Olympus and was never seen again. The gods couldn't find her at all. Supposedly, her birthday is coming up and its a painful reminder to Apollo." He explained. As if on cue, the sky darkened.

"That's awful. She just dropped off the face of the Earth? Did she die? But if she did, wouldn't Hades know and just tell Apollo?" The girl asked.

"She's been kidnapped, we believe." He replied. Silence.

"Now what do we do with those two?" The girl asked, changing the subject.

"They're demigods, but they haven't been claimed, which is strange because they're sixteen, breaking the promise they made to Percy." He responded.  
"I think they're those demigods from Dallas. We shouldn't have sent Percy to go get them...they're already here." She grumbled, definitely unhappy that Percy was gone. "And the third girl?"

"Also a demigod."

Alex woke up in a hospital bed hearing this. She felt like she was at school again, in the nurse's office with white curtains separating the beds. There was a boy around her age sitting near her, absently wrapping and unwrapping an Ace bandage around his wrist. He was handsome, Alex had to admit. He resembled Alex. He had an athletic build, sun-kissed hair and blue eyes. He noticed Alex and he stood up, showing that he was tall, around the same height as Tyler. He was frozen at first, but then he seemed to snap out of it and grab a large cup filled with a strange glittering liquid.

"What's that?" Alex asked groggily. "Who are you? Where am I?"

"Just relax." He began calmly, "I'm going to give you some nectar, but only take a few sips." He gently helped prop Alex up, his hand feeling the cut on Alex's back. She was in a daze, but he put the cup to her lips and she drank it.

Alex couldn't believe what it was. It was the most amazing drink she ever had. The taste was hard to describe. It was very sweet. Alex loved sweet things. It also had an extra...something...to it.

This blissful moment quickly ended before she could drink more. He pulled the cup away and set it aside on the table again.

"I'm going to get Chiron. Just relax and everything will be okay." He said and then left Alex, closing the curtains behind him. She couldn't resist. She reached for the cup and began to drink as her ears listened to people talking. She heard a man's voice, the boy who gave her the amazing drink (nectar, was it?), Peyton's and Tyler's. Alex never felt more relieved that they were okay. Wait...Chiron... She had to deliver Aunt Thalia's message to him.

"She's awake finally. You have to see this." The boy said. Alex quickly finished the nectar and set the cup back on the nightstand. The boy returned with a young girl around Alex's age with blonde hair and stormy, intimidating grey eyes. She wore an orange t-shirt that said "Camp Half-Blood" on it. Followed by her was a man in a wheelchair. He was middle aged and had thinning brown hair, bushy eyebrows, intense brown eyes, and a scruffy beard.

"Hello." The man greeted.

"Hey." Alex said cautiously.

"Gods, she looks just like..." She trailed off.

"Where am I? Who are you? What happened?" Alex demanded suddenly. "And where's Chiron?" They exchanged glances. Finally, the man in the wheelchair rose and the wheelchair disappeared. So did his legs. His lower half of his body was a white horse. Alex couldn't help but scream in shock. He smiled at her kindly.

"You wanted Chiron. I'm Chiron." Chiron said.

"How do you know Chiron? I haven't seen you around." The girl asked. Alex ignored her.

"This won't make much sense, but I was sent by Thalia the muse. She told me to tell you that she was sorry and that I was sent by her." Alex explained. Everyone's gazes were on Chiron's, who let the words sink in.

"You're the demigods from Dallas Thalia has been watching over. This hasn't come to our attention since early this morning though. I'm assuming she had a barrier up to protect you, but it probably failed for some odd reason, bringing it to Grover's attention." He explained.

"What?" Alex simply asked.

"Your orphanage Thalia ran was hidden from the world. Hidden from monsters and the gods themselves. But then the magical boundary lines had failed and it has shown up. Grover and Percy went to pick you up and take you here before the monsters find you." Chiron explained.

"How did you..." Alex began.

"First, how bout some introductions?" Chiron said.

"I'm Will. Will Solace. I'm the counselor of the Apollo cabin. And the son of Apollo." He smiled at her an extremely bright smile.

"Like the space thingy, right?" Alex asked. He chuckled.

"Like the god thingy." He replied.

"Annabeth Chase. Counselor of the Athena cabin and daughter of Athena." The girl said, studying Alex.

"My name's Alex Robinson. Uh, not a counselor, but I help out at an orphanage. Close enough, right?" She smiled nervously. "Uh, daughter of some skank bag and Daphne Robinson."

"Thank you, Will, for tending to Alex's wounds." Chiron said.

"I have to show you this." Will said. Without asking at all, he pulled up Alex's shirt on her side, where there was a thin pink line along her side. "She was attacked earlier this afternoon and you seen how deep the cut was!"

"That's unnatural...even for demigods."

"I cleaned it and sang a hymn to dad too. I gave her some nectar after she woke up." He motioned to the empty cup. Everyone gasped except Alex.

"What?"

"How much nectar did you give her?" Annabeth cried.

"Not even a sip! I swear!" Will replied.

"It tasted good. Sorry?" Alex said.

"Chiron." Annabeth said.

"Excuse me..." Chiron turned away. Annabeth and Will quickly followed, leaving Alex behind. Alex quickly threw off the covers and followed them silently.

"Thalia is sorry... I'll have to send an Iris-message to contact her." Chiron was pacing on the other side of the close door. Chiron had dismissed Annabeth and Will, but Annabeth remained. Alex could see through the opening between the frame and the door, held by the hinges.

"Chiron, what are you thinking? She's not human if she drank a whole cup of nectar without incinerating. And if you cut her hair short and flatten her chest, add a year maybe, and you got Apollo. And her tattoo is an omega, which is also the symbol of Olympus with Apollo's symbol." Annabeth explained.

"Well, if my assumptions are correct, then the search is over." Chiron said. He turned away, towards something Alex couldn't see. "Oh Iris, goddess of the rainbow, accept my offering." He dropped something gold...a coin? "Thalia the muse, Dallas, Texas." Suddenly, a screen appeared and Aunt Thalia appeared. She was sweeping up glass.

"Chiron. Alex, Peyton, and Tyler have arrived safely, I assume? Did Alex deliver the message?" She asked. "Wait, that was stupid. Of course she did."

"Thalia, I have sent Percy Jackson and Grover Underwood to pick them up."

"Some of the leftover monsters from the war broke my barrier and attacked. I sent Alex, Peyton, and Tyler by Pegasus." Thalia replied.

"They came with no Pegasi. Sirens had chased them here, and Alex took a blow to the head and a swipe to her side." Chiron explained calmly. "We tended to her wounds. She drank nectar without incinerating and her cut is completely healed with a thin scar."

"Right... Chiron, I'm so terribly sorry. I didn't know it was her... Daphne had told me to protect her when she comes to me. I didn't know what to think, really. I didn't know that Daphne was...and that Alex was..." Thalia started to cry. "I had just found out the same time you had the battle with the labyrinth. Her tattoo had appeared in a golden light, but the Mist gave her the fake memories of her actually getting a tattoo..."

"So, it is true. You are her guardian. What do you propose we should do?" Chiron said.

"I want her...I want her back. She's like my daughter I never had." Thalia shook her head. "You can take her to Olympus, but I'd like to say goodbye. When Percy and Grover arrive, I'll send them back. They should be here soon."

"Thank you. And thank you for the care packages. They're much appreciated and Camp Half-Blood sends their thanks." They began to lower their voices and Alex found herself straining to hear. She pressed her ear to the door. Nothing. She pressed it harder. The door opened and Alex stumbled forward and fell flat on her face.

The Iris message quickly ended. She looked up at Chiron and Annabeth and laughed nervously.


	6. Chapter 6

Alex was reunited with Peyton and Tyler. They were fine, but Alex freaked out about it. Peyton had her hair in braid with flowers woven in it and she wore a crown of flowers like you see birds make and drop on girls' heads in Disney movies.

"Demeter has claimed her while you were out." Annabeth said.

"Demeter?" Alex asked.

"She's the goddess of agriculture and nature." Annabeth replied.

"She's my momma too." Peyton smiled excitedly. "It was so cool! It was during dinner and then all of a sudden, when we were offering to the gods, the fire went up and then I started glowing green! And then this happened and everyone told me the goddess Demeter has claimed me as her daughter!" Peyton squealed. Alex smiled at Petyon's excitement. "Tyler didn't get claimed, but he is staying with the Hermes cabin."

Annabeth began to explain demigods and all of the gods and goddesses of Mt. Olympus. She explained Camp Half-Blood and monsters.

"He was under the spell of the Sirens." Annabeth explained. When she was given confused looks. "They're like evil mermaids that lure men to their death with they're voices."

"Can they perform magic? You see, there was this big beam of light from the water when Alex jumped in to save Tyler." Peyton explained. Alex and Tyler exchanged looks.

"No, they can't do anything like that." Annabeth replied. She pondered for a moment on that.  
Just then, a man came in. He has a chubby face, a red nose and curly hair so black, it looks purple. He has watery, blue, bloodshot eyes definitely from drinking. He is wearing a tiger-striped Hawaiian shirt and purple running shoes.

"Why didn't you tell me Allison Robinbird was awake, Annie bell?" He asked Annabeth, who gave him an annoyed look that said, _stop calling me that._

"It's Alex! Alex Robinson." He turned to her.

"This is Dionysus, like I mentioned before. Or Mr. D. The director of this camp." Annabeth said, the annoyance still in her tone.

"Oh, yeah. The wine dude." Mr. D glared at Alex.

"Call me the wine dude again and I'll shove you in a wine bottle." He snapped. Alex rolled her eyes.

"Scary." Alex said, unflinching. His nostrils flared, but Annabeth quickly stepped in.

"She just woke up, actually."

"I ran into Chiron on my way in." He grumbled. He examines Alex, but he seemed to do it in a way to intimidate her. "You look just like your dad. Is she really..?" Annabeth nodded. "Do you know how much trouble you've caused us?! You're as bad as Peter Johnson!" He cried, startling Alex.

"Percy Jackson." Annabeth correct, irritated. There's that name again.

"Whatever! We've been looking for fifteen years for you!" He snapped.

"Where have you been looking? A wine glass?" Alex asked, looking and feeling smug. "I've been in an orphanage most of my life. It's in the middle of no where... But why were you looking for me?" She asked.

"You're the next goddess. You're a demigod that is more god than mortal. But since you fell, you screwed it up and now you have to earn your way to be a goddess." Mr. D explained.

"What!?" Alex screamed and Peyton and Tyler gasped.

"That must explain that great beam of light from the ocean!" Peyton exclaimed.

"That was you!? You attracted too much attention from mortals by that! I've only known you for five minutes and your moving your way up on my list faster than Perry Johanssen." Mr. D growled.

"Percy Jackson!" Annabeth snapped.

"Who is Percy Jackson?!" Alex cried.

"A real pain in the-"

"My boyfriend." Annabeth cut off Mr. D. "His brain's full of seaweed, but he save pretty much the whole world from Kronos. So he's pretty famous. And Grover dragged him to pick you three up. Oh, and your brother you mentioned earlier." Annabeth turned to Tyler.

"Anyway, I better call up Zeus and bring you up before you move up anymore on my list." Mr. D grumbled. He summoned diet Coke out of thin air. Tyler and Peyton gasped, but Alex seemed unfazed. This felt nostalgic. It felt familiar.

"That was so cool!" Peyton squealed.

"Thanks. Good thing someone appreciates me. Demeter and I are usually on good terms though." Mr. D said. "It's getting late. I'm taking you to Olympus first thing tomorrow. I'll go call them up now and tell them." And Mr. D left.

"I'll take you to your cabin. You haven't gotten a tour yet, but that doesn't seem necessary." Annabeth said. Peyton left to the Demeter cabin, which has growing grass on the roof and plants on the walls, and Tyler went to the Hermes cabin, which was the largest and has dull brown paint is chipped off and there is a caduceus overhanging the door. There was a growing ache in Alex's chest as she watched Tyler walk away. Annabeth led Alex to an ordinary cabin, but Alex felt it'll look better in the daylight. Annabeth knocked on the door and Will answered it. Music was being played from inside.

"Hey, Will. You met Alex already. She's your half-sister and will be joining you tonight." Annabeth explained.

"Cool. Welcome, Alex." Will stepped aside for Alex to enter. Annabeth waved goodbye and walked to her own cabin. The Apollo cabin was really big and really open. There were many windows and the walls were painted a reddish orange. There are bunks with sheets and blankets in shades of red, orange, and yellow. There is also a lab-like table station in the back that seemed to be for medicine, and a couple of desks that could be used for writing poetry or music and it also seemed equipped with all these cool art supplies. One wall was a golden bookshelf with all different kinds of works from all different kinds of people. Shakespeare takes up majority. Also scattered around the room were all different kinds of musical instruments. On the walls were a couple of dartboards and even a basketball hoop.

"You can have this bed, Alex." He motioned to a top bunk. "Here's also a trunk to hold most of your stuff, but you don't have much..." Will gestured to a golden trunk. The personal space of the bunks were occupied by band franchise, whether it be posters or blankets. They were also decorated by small works of art done by that person. "Hey, everyone! This is Alex! She's our half-sister!" Will called. Kids younger and older and Alex's came a greeted her. They were very friendly to her. It seemed like they were happy and enjoyed singing and playing music together.

It was lights out at eleven. A thirteen-year-old protestor said: "when the sun's up, we're up. And technically, the sun's up somewhere like South America." This reminded Alex of Nick, and she had managed to get him to bed with ease.


	7. Chapter 7

Alex was the last one up compared to her siblings. They've been up since the crack of dawn. Alex was up at eight. The sun filled the cabin, making it glitter gold like he tattoo and locket. Will took Alex to the Dining Pavilion for breakfast, where she was briefly reunited with Peyton and Tyler. Tyler kissed Alex good morning and then sat with the Hermes cabin. Peyton said good morning and then sat with the Demeter cabin.

Everyone was very curious of the newcomers, but Alex noticed that a lot of them looked pretty banged up. Chiron pulled Alex aside.

"Alexandra, I talked to Thalia today. She said you could stay until your birthday. And then you can go back to Olympus. She's your protector, so we obliged." He announced.

"Its Alex! Sounds like a plan." Alex said casually.

"I guess I can give you that tour now." Annabeth suggested.

"I'd love to."

* * *

Alex liked Camp Half-Blood. Alex was given a schedule. Today was Wednesday. First she had Ancient Greek with Peyton, Tyler, and Annabeth. It was the only smart class Alex was good at, and surprisingly, Peyton the smartie was horrible at it. Tyler was too, but he's not that into education and more into sports like Alex. Alex had store checks with Peyton from 10:30 to 11. And then Alex and Tyler had javelin throwing. Alex has amazed herself and many campers with her aim. That was from 11 to 12. From 12 to 12:30, Alex, Peyton, and Tyler have been reunited for Greek mythology (another smartie class that Alex was really good at). At lunch (12:30 to 1:30) Alex ate with Annabeth again, along with Tyler and Peyton. Alex felt that she was forming a real friendship with her. Annabeth seemed a little defensive around Alex at first, but after her break down this morning, she had slowly begun to warm up.

After lunch from 1:30 to 3:30 it was ride the rapids with Annabeth and Peyton. Peyton failed miserably, but she was having tons of fun. Cabin clean-up afterwards bored Alex the most, but she got along with her fellow siblings and they kind of danced to music as they cleaned. That lasted until 5. From 5 till 6, Alex had free time. That's when Annabeth gave her an official tour. What excited Alex the most was the rock climbing wall. When they dropped by the strawberry fields, Peyton was already starting to work on her powers and experimented with the plant growth with lessons by Mr. D and some nymphs.

Annabeth showed her the stables, and she went in depth with a lot of the architecture. And then Alex noticed some Demeter kids tending to three familiar magic My Little Ponies.

"There they are!" Alex cried, startling Annabeth. "Those My Little Ponies took off in New York!" The white My Little Pony with wings walked up to Alex and nuzzled against her face.

"Pegasi like to roam around. They like the attention they get here though. She's one of the three new Pegasi we got yesterday." Annabeth explained. "She seems to like you. Do you want to name her?"

"Sure, why not?" Alex smiled. "I'll call you Sky." Sky the My Little Pony neighed happily and then walked to join a pure black Pegasus and took off in flight together, looking like the ying and yang.

"She seems to be getting close to Blackjack too." Alex gave her a puzzled look. "Percy's Pegasus." Alex nodded. The more Percy's name came up, the more eager she grew to meet this guy. Everyone talks about him around camp positively, so he must be a good guy. Afterwards, Annabeth took Alex to a gardening shed, but inside was many different weapons instead of gardening tools.

"Peyton picked out a knife and Tyler picked out a large sword." Alex laughed at the thought of them wielding weapons like that. "As a daughter of Apollo, I assume you want a bow and arrow."

"Better than some drumsticks. But I got this too." Alex muttered and pulled the flash drive. Alex slid the white part up. But the grey part didn't pop out. Instead, the flash drive completely transformed into the sword Alex wielded the day before. It was perfectly balanced for Alex, nice and light. She noticed something engraved in the hilt: Crescendo. Annabeth seemed impressed by the sword. Alex naturally slid her thumb down the hilt, and it reverted back to a little black and white flash drive.

"And then..." Alex reached into her boots and pulled out the drumsticks. She turned it in her fingers. And then she tossed one up in the air instinctively. It landed in her hands as a golden bow. She tossed her second drumstick and Alex expected a quiver of arrows. It was a quiver of arrows, but the arrows were gold. Engraved in both the bow and the quiver was: Golden Piacere.

"Impressive. And it's good to have a back-up." Annabeth spoke. The quiver and bow reverted back to drumsticks. Alex was in disbelief, mostly because of how natural it felt. Yeah, it's natural to just throw drumsticks in the air and a bow and quiver magically appear. Seems legit.

"What's your weapon?" Alex questioned. Annabeth unsheathed a dagger.

"I've had this since I was seven." Alex began to feel sympathy towards Annabeth, and had more respect for her at the same time. Alex figured Annabeth had been using that knife since she was seven, which means that some terrible things had made her use it to defend herself. When Alex was seven, she was safe in her home at the orphanage and got kicked out of her first school. Alex thought about changing the subject and wanted to ask Annabeth a question that bugged Alex all day.

"Hey, Annabeth? What happened to everyone?" Alex asked.

"The Titan war. It just ended three weeks ago." Annabeth replied simply. She explained her quests with Percy and Grover and some Titan dude named Kronos.

Annabeth struggled to fight back tears when she mentioned a guy named Luke. Alex hugged Annabeth and she eventually broke down into tears.

"It's okay, Annabeth. Bottling it up won't help. Just let it out. I'm here for you." Alex said calmly. Annabeth was embarrassed that she was crying.

"You sound like Percy..." Annabeth sniffed. Alex wiped away her tears. Alex had a suddenly flashback about the time Hannah had fallen off her tricycle and scraped herself up real bad on her hands and knees. Alex had tended to her wounds and told Hannah to just let it all out. She comforted Hannah. And then Alex realized something from that memory. When Alex had sang a lullaby for Hannah to fall asleep, Hannah's wounds had completely healed as she put a bandaid on Hannah's sleeping body.

Annabeth had finally calmed down. She then pretended that nothing happened and she put a brave face on.

"We better move on." Annabeth quickly said. She took Alex to the camp forge, which was like a fancy Ancient Greek building, but with chimneys for Santa. Steam came out of those chimneys and loud noises came from it like hammers hitting metal and machinery working with fire crackling. Alex didn't mind the forge, but it wasn't her favorite place. She did meet some Hephaestus campers, but they were awkward talking to her, and even Annabeth even though they were friends.

With the extra time Alex had, she climbed the rock wall. As Alex climbed, lava poured from the top and boulders fell. Alex screamed and had barely dodged. She still went up. She barely made it to the top when,

"Hey, Alex!" Tyler called. "What are you doing?! You'll get yourself killed!" Thanks to her boyfriend, she got distracted. Another boulder had dropped and she just barely dodged. She slipped from the wall and plummeted to the ground.

In the oh-so-romantic/cliche, Tyler caught Alex in his arms and stepped out of the way of the boulder.

"Better." Tyler smiled. It made Alex's heart speed up and her face heat up. Alex hated herself for showing her weaknesses. Alex also wanted to hate Tyler for distracting her, but she couldn't because she found herself just melting into his arms so comfortably and naturally. Stupid Alex.

"Um, you can put me down now." Alex said quietly, but she didn't want him to deep down. Tyler pulled Alex closer to him and snuggled close to her.

"I don't want to." Finally, it was dinner and Tyler carried Alex back to the Dining Pavilion. They kissed goodbye and Alex joined the Apollo table, who greeted her. Alex and Will quickly became friends.


	8. Chapter 8

After dinner, Alex had unarmed combat with Annabeth and Tyler. Alex drew her sword, Crescendo. Alex looked for Tyler, and found him in combat with a member from the Athena cabin. Tyler's sword was large, and for power, which suited Tyler well. He was doing well enough to slow his butt from getting kicked. Alex screamed at every hit and ran towards him once, but he waved her off.

Alex then found herself in combat with Annabeth. Annabeth had a knife and Alex had a sword. At first, seemed like Alex had the advantage, but she was so mistaken. Annabeth had quickly disarmed Alex, but Alex managed to pin Annabeth to the ground and toss her dagger aside (a skill Alex had learned to use when the boys of the orphanage thought she couldn't do anything because she was a girl). Annabeth head butted Alex's head, which caused Alex to go in a daze briefly. It was enough for Annabeth to free herself and grab her dagger.

Alex scared herself when her hands burst into flames. She screamed and waved her hand frantically, trying to put it out. With every spazzed wave of her hand, a ball of fire was thrown from her palm. This caught Annabeth off-guard and singed her shirt a little. Alex realized that her hand was not being burned. This freaked her out even more and it made her look even more like a spaz. The fire eventually diminished and Alex could breathe again.

It didn't take much longer for Annabeth to whip Alex's butt. Alex never hated anything more than to give up, but this is the first time she did. It was a silly fight, but Alex never gives up on anything or anyone.

It was nine o'clock and Alex and her cabin had to lead a singalong with the rest of the campers. Alex doesn't sing much. She kind of has stage fright.

Will naturally lead all of the campers into a singalong, and Alex found herself enjoying herself and joining in. Alex relaxed feeling at home and everything in the world just felt so right.

* * *

For the next two weeks, Alex, Peyton, and Tyler fit right into Camp Half-Blood. They fell into routine and made many friends. Tyler still never got claimed, and Chiron, Annabeth, and Will kept their mouths shut about Alex having to go to Olympus (it still didn't make much sense to her). Alex also towards the end of the two weeks, Alex lead the singalong.

Alex and Annabeth have become friends quicker than they both had expected. Tyler and Annabeth often talked about architecture because that's what they were nerds about (Peyton was a nerd for many things and Alex was a nerd for tv and movies.

And over the two weeks, Alex had eventually made it to the top of the climbing wall and even slowed down getting her butt kicked in unarmed combat. Alex, as expected, excelled greatly in archery with Golden Piacere. But at night, Alex had the strangest dreams. They wouldn't make much sense. There was a blinding light in every single one of them, but Alex could make out shapes. One time it was just a very large man kind of. She was just as large as the giant man. There was also a dinosaur and a man emerging from the shadows.

Alex hated that she had to polish the Flying Chariot, but she got to fly it as much as she liked with Blackjack and Sky. That was pretty fun. She took Tyler sometimes, but it made him uneasy. Flying in the Flying Chariot helped Alex think anyway. It cleared her mind.

Every Friday night, they had Capture the Flag. It wasn't ordinary capture the flag. They had to wear all sorts of armor that weighed Alex down. Alex, Tyler, and Annabeth were on the same team against Peyton's team.

Once Chiron explained the rules, the game began. Annabeth put on a Yankees cap and she disappeared.

"Annabeth!" Alex cried and cursed to herself that she couldn't do anything like that. As the other team advanced, an Ares cabin member quickly disarmed Alex and advanced on Alex. Alex quickly raised her hands up to protect herself in some way and she closed her eyes, bracing for pain. The Ares kid grunted and Alex opened her eyes. There was a golden transparent dome over Alex. The Ares kid swung her sword angrily, but it recoiled back and inflicted damaged on themselves. Alex dropped her hands and the dome disappeared. She rushed to grab her sword and retreated while she could.

As Alex ran away from the fighting, she got lost in the woods.

"The other team isn't very defensive and they have liked to hide their flag in big trees or in shrub." Alex screamed at the voice and Annabeth appeared, holding her Yankees cap.

"Don't do that!" Alex snapped. Annabeth couldn't help but smile. Alex was little jealous that Annabeth could turn invisible. Sure, they were on the same team, but who doesn't want to have a hat that turns you invisible?

Sure enough, Alex's scream had attracted two Ares campers. Alex face-palmed and prepared herself for her butt to get kicked. But Alex was improving on her sword skills and managed an almost equal fight against one Ares camper and Annabeth fought the other.

"Where'd she go?" An Ares kid cried, looking around frantically, stopping the fight. Annabeth was shocked and looked around too.

"I'm right here!" Alex snapped.

"She's invisible! Come out you coward!"

"I think I'll pass on this one..." Alex then took off. She bolted as far away as she could into the woods. She created tons of noise to lead the other team everywhere and away from Annabeth. Alex had learned something weird that night: she could see in the dark as well as she could in the light. It freaked her out a little, but quickly got accustomed to it.

Alex leaned against a tree to catch her breath and wipe the sweat off her brow. Now Alex was really lost. She sighed and looked up. In one of the trees was a little glimpse of a red flag.

"No way." Alex grinned and started towards the tree. It was ten feet tall. Alex withdrew her sword and reverted it back to a flash drive and started climbing. Suddenly, the tree's branches started to whack her. Alex held on for dear life as leaves became razors.

"Alex?" Peyton's voice asked. Alex froze and stole a look down. There was Peyton, staring up at her. "I can't let you get our flag." She smiled.

"You're breaking the rules! You're supposed to be at least ten feet away." Alex protested.

"The tree's ten feet tall." Alex scowled and started to climb again. She slipped one time and Peyton screamed and the tree stopped moving. Alex realized that Peyton was controlling the tree. Impressive. Alex refused to give up and pulled herself up, getting cuts that burned more than bled. The flag was much more visible now. Alex reached for it and her fingers wrapped around the banner. She tugged it, but Alex had slipped and fell to the ground.

Alex had did it. She got the flag. Peyton drew her knife but she was cautious. Alex groaned on the ground and pulled herself to her feet. Alex drew Crescendo again, but she ran away from Peyton. Peyton couldn't help but sigh of relief.

Alex quickly ran into the opposite team, but she never let go of the flag. There was a mini explosion (no campers or tress harmed) that Alex had accidentally conjured up randomly and out of thin air. The opposite team got up from the ground and were cautious to attack.

"Come at me, bro!" Alex yelled, feeling on top of the world. One did, and she had managed to disarm them after a while. Alex then fled to the flag to the other side of the river. As Alex also leaned that night when she neared the river, she could see distances. And she noticed that the other team had her flag and was closer to the river than Alex. Alex then pulled out her drumsticks and they transformed into a bow and quiver of arrows. She drew a golden arrow that had Sonic Arrow written in Ancient Greek, and then released it at the camper with the flag. It streaked across the sky at an impossible speed, leaving behind a golden streak in the sky that shortly fades away. It let off a high pitched noise that caused Alex to wince a little, and Alex knew it hit the camper when the sharpest sound came off. It was like a power cord on an electric guitar, but times that by a million. It confused the camper with the flag and Alex had the bow and arrows revert back to drumsticks that she slipped in her boots.

Alex had crossed the river. She was out of breath, but her team cheered. They high-fived each other and shook hands with the opposite team. Peyton was relieved that it was over and Annabeth came up to Alex.

"How did you turn invisible before?" Annabeth asked.

"Beats me. I didn't know I was invisible until someone said it, but I guess it wore off when I fled. Sorry about that, by the way." Alex said sheepishly, immediately feeling guilty for abandoning Annabeth.

"You probably would've gotten disarmed anyway." They laughed, knowing it was the truth. After capture the flag, they had a singalong again, which Alex enjoyed.  
Percy and Grover never came back. Annabeth was growing more anxious by the day. And Aunt Thalia never tried any contact with Alex or Chiron or Peyton or Tyler. Alex was getting worried too, but she didn't even know them. On the night before Alex's birthday, Alex got some extra dessert at dinner and Chiron reminded her that Mr. D will take Alex to Olympus the next morning. After dinner was a volleyball league and Alex's team dominated. But afterwards, Peyton started crying. Alex pulled her aside.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked.

"Aren't you sad? Aren't ya gonna miss me or Tyler or Aunt Thalia?" Peyton asked.

"Why would I be sad?"

"Because your leaving tomorrow!"

"Yeah, but I'm coming back. It's just a visit thing." Alex reassured.

"No, Alex! You're not coming back 'cause you're special. Because your daddy's missing you and you are supposed to live there. Mr. D will take you back to your original home!" It had finally sunk into Alex. She thought they were just going to take her up to Mt. Olympus to meet her dad or get a tour or something. But she didn't want to live there!

Alex didn't say anything and she continued to comfort Peyton. Alex rallied Tyler up and talked to him and Peyton.


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning at Camp Half-Blood, her cabin mates found Alex's bed made and a note on it and brought it to the Big House.

Dear Chiron, Mr. D,  
_I've decided to return to my orphanage and send try to find out what's up with Percy and Grover. I'll make sure they return safely. I'm not ready to leave all my friends and family for Olympus. Sorry for all the trouble. Thanks for everything though._  
Alex

Alex, Tyler, and Peyton were now in Chicago by three in the afternoon on Alex's birthday, September 15th. They didn't have much money and they needed another cab or bus to get to Dallas. Alex was starving and ate a giant Chicago-style hot dog. Tyler has always wanted to visit Chicago because of the architecture. After a series of begs, they went to the Willis Tower. They had managed to sneak inside and go up the elevator to the top. It was very squishy and Alex noticed that Tyler was getting claustrophobic.

When they reached the top, it was surprisingly empty. Alex, Peyton, and Tyler looked down on the glass part extending out from the tower. Peyton had a panic attack and looked at the gift shop there.

There were twin cashiers. They both had black hair and black eyes. They were insane body-builder muscular and muttered to each other a mile a minute. They were watching Alex, Peyton, and Tyler carefully. Alex noticed this. She then walked away, out of their view.

They followed her, but made it seem like they were invested in making the merchandise look nice.

"Can I help you?" Alex asked in annoyance. They began to growl like dogs and they bared their teeth. Suddenly, they combined into a dog. But it was the world's largest dog ever and it had two heads. Drool dropped from both mouths.

"Eww." Alex said. The two headed dog charged at Alex, who quickly drew her sword. She side-stepped the charge and swung at the dog's legs that were as tall as Alex. It only made it angry. It swung a large paw at Alex, knocking her into the wall. She groaned and pulled herself out of the wall and the dog tried to eat her, but she slashed at one muzzle. Alex slashed at the other head, but a paw shoved her to the ground, and pressed its weighed on her. Alex began to feel her ribs crack.  
The dog suddenly yelped in pain when Tyler chopped off its tail. Alex managed to free herself. The dog growled and then hit Tyler with its paw. Tyler's sword slid across the room and he hit the glass on the glass balcony. The dog charged at Tyler . It stuck a big paw in the glass balcony and swiped at Tyler, who ducked. But the glass cracked. Alex quickly drew an regular golden arrow, and shot it at the dog's side. Even in daylight, it still briefly left behind a golden streak. It cried out in pain, and stomped the paw inside the balcony down. The whole balcony shattered.


	10. Chapter 10

Alex screamed as the dog pulled back for the broken balcony. Alex dodged her way around the dog and jumped after Tyler. He was screaming too. Alex positioned herself for a dive, and quickly sped up to Tyler. She tackled him into a hug as they free fell to their deaths.

"It can't end like this..." Alex whispered and closed her eyes. Tyler was crying, but he kissed Alex. She kissed back, knowing it'll be their last. Suddenly, they stopped falling. They found themselves floating.

"Alex, Alex! Look!" Tyler cried suddenly. Alex opened her eyes. Her feet was on a golden sphere of energy. The kind of sphere you see Aang ride on, but its golden energy.

Everything came so naturally now. Naturally. Alex held Tyler tightly and flew up with great speed, leaving behind a streak of golden light that eventually diminished as she continued, like her arrows. Alex started to laugh. Tyler gave her a funny look.

Finally, they reached the top and Alex dropped Tyler into the building and couldn't stop herself. She was accelerating in speed greatly towards the dog, who has cornered Peyton. Suddenly, Alex was glowing entirely golden and her body disappeared into the light, becoming a shooting star.

"I can't believe this! Somebody stop me!" Alex screamed as she braced for impact. She hit the dog full force and there was an explosion. Alex recoiled back from the dog and crashed onto the floor on her back. She was dizzy and in a daze and she struggled to get up.

"Whoa, Alex!" Peyton cried. Alex got to her feet and the dog was on the ground. There was smoke everywhere, but with a broken balcony, the smoke quickly went out through there. But the smoke detectors still went off. The dog was down, but not dead. Alex grabbed her sword, and together with Tyler and Peyton, they stabbed the dog in the heart in unison full power.

The dog dissolved into nothing. Security was coming.

"Hey! What are you kids doing?!" A group of security guards had appeared. Alex remembered something she learned at Camp Half-Blood, the Mist can't hide everything. Peyton sheathed her dagger, and Tyler's sword reverted to a flip cell phone. Alex's sword reverted back to a flash drive.

Alex, Tyler, and Peyton ran. They bolted to the stairwell and ran down the flights of stairs. The cops quickly followed. After going down ten flights of stairs, they were exhausted so Alex busted into one floor. They followed her and she slammed an elevator button for an elevator to come.

"C'mon...c'mon..." Alex muttered to herself. The police were getting closer. Finally, the doors opened and the trio rushed in.

"Hit first level." Alex whisper to Tyler. "Don't listen to these next words." Alex raised her voice. "Ground level! Ground level! C'mon Tyler!" The doors to the elevator close.

"I get it! We'll then take them flight of stairs to the ground level and go around them." Peyton said. After five minutes, people came in and out of the elevator. Finally, they got out on the first floor and they hurried down the stairs.

Alex's plan had worked. The cops were waiting by the elevators. Alex giggled to herself.  
"Dumb cops..." Alex muttered and silently blended in with the tourists with Peyton and Tyler.

"Alex, you were amazing! You can fly! And then you became this comet shooting star bullet thing! It was so cool and real purty! You just streaked across the floor!" Peyton squealed.

"I wish I can control it. It'll be more useful if I could." Alex sighed. They had to get back to Dallas. Alex had to kick Macy's butt at DDR. It was Alex's birthday, and the first day of school. Alex couldn't help but worry about the kids if they got to school safely or if the reason Percy and Grover weren't back was because more of those storm freaks came back. The thought angered Alex. Storm spirits that act like they an run Aunt Thalia's orphanage.


	11. Chapter 11

They gotten a cab. Peyton was in charge of the money because Alex can't count. Alex got a sense from Peyton that they were low. But the cab drove them down to St. Louis as requested by Tyler, who knows his geography. The cab driver, a thin balding man in his forties or something, was kind enough to go all the way to St. Louis for half the price than it would normally. That saved Alex some money. The cab driver reminded Alex of Voldemort. Peyton and Tyler fell asleep, but Alex remained awake and alert.

The cab driver drove the cab to an abandoned parking garage as night descended.

"Thanks for the ride. Peyton, wake up. We gotta pay the man." Alex gently shook Peyton, who slowly woke up. As Peyton paid the driver, Alex woke up Tyler. He was so cute when he slept. She didn't know what it was. Maybe how peaceful or young he looks... Or maybe it's the way his hair falls? No, that was stupid. But it was the stupid little things Alex loved.

Tyler awoke, and the trio began to walk away from the cab when they heard a hissing. It was the driver, who got out of the cab and hissed like a snake.

"Voldemort? Is that you?" Alex asked. Peyton gave Alex a hopeless look. Tyler protectively put his arm around Alex. The mans skin turned an ugly green and scaled popped up on it. He was shaking. Alex, Tyler, and Peyton started to back away. He shook like he had a seizure and his eyes rolled to the back of his head. His head then shook rapidly as if he was really saying no to something.

His fingers and toes became claws and they looked like lizard feet. He got down on all fours and a very long tail appeared. His face became like a large snake head. Long, large wings spread from his back. His body became that of a giant, long lizard. Alex heard a myth in Greek mythology class and from the Apollo cabin. They bragged about how Apollo had killed a python. They used the picture of a python to throw darts at. And this is what the cab driver has become. The python was huge. It was much taller than Tyler, who was a little over 6'0. It's body was extremely long and snake like, and had matching wings.  
Alex drew her sword, Tyler his, and Peyton her knife. Alex's hands were trembling so bad she dropped her sword. She had this terrible fear of reptiles and snakes. Alex forced a brave face. She had to pick up her sword and fight it, but she was frozen.

The python advanced. Tyler charged at him, swords raised. It hit Alex and Tyler hard in the chest. Tyler hit the wall, but Alex held on for dear life. She screamed and was on the verge of tears.

"Somebody HELP ME!" Alex screamed. The python swung its tail against the ceiling and wall, and Alex slipped off, crumbling to the ground groaning.

It was a blur, but Alex began to see a bright, beautiful green. Peyton had created the worlds largest clover as a shield over Alex. Like, this clover shield was like the size of a car. Alex was amazed at that. But the python swiped the stem of the clover and it fell to the ground. Tyler had recovered and fought the python like a pro. Alex was impressed as she slowly rose. The python slashed at Peyton, and she slammed into a wall.

Alex grew angry at the python for doing that. She ran up to it and jumped as high as she could in the air. She got boosted by a brief golden ball from before, but it diminished. It was enough force and momentum for Alex to tackle the python's neck. She slammed into it, causing the python to stagger sideways. Alex stabbed the python in the neck and hung there suspended.

"Alex! Are you crazy?!" Tyler called. The python began to recover and shake her off.  
"Of course I am! If I wasn't, I wouldn't be hanging here in the first place!" Alex called back, hanging onto her sword for dear life. She screamed when she realized what she did. Her sword fell out of the python's neck, and Alex fell to the ground. Tyler caught her.  
Alex jumped out of his arms and then began to fight the python with her fists. She had managed to punch it in the jaw, knocking it into a wall. She flipped in the air and dove into its back with a sharp kick. The python roared and began slashing at her rapidly, which she dodged or blocked and then she'd counter quickly with a powerful punch or kick. Alex had noticed she was one of the few skilled fist fighters at Camp Half-Blood. Alex was frozen again, leaving Tyler to battle the lizard thing by himself... But then the python smacked them into the same wall as Peyton. And then, the python breathed fire.

Of course.


	12. Chapter 12

Suddenly, there was plants. A whole wall of plants. They tied themselves together. Alex wasn't kidding. Peyton stood over Tyler and Alex, arms raised, and in from of her was a very large wall made of plants. It only delayed the flames. Alex realized this faster than Peyton, and she quickly rose. She hugged Peyton tightly having her back to the flames. The flames did not hurt Alex. It scared her a little, but it was the force of them that caused Alex to cry out.

When it was over, Alex struggled to stand. It was Peyton with the real problems. Alex noticed a blood stain on her shirt. It was the only one that wasn't hers. Peyton pulled away from Alex, and then summoned two vines, one for each hand, and it shot out and wrapped around the python's legs. It fell to its side onto the ground, but its wings fully expanded and began to lift from the ground. It broke the ceiling (it still was a wonder to Alex how it didn't break it before). It flew higher, and Peyton was soon lifted off the ground. Alex ran and put her hands over Peyton's and the vines. They both tightly held the vines. Slowly, Alex began to lift from the ground with Peyton.

Alex gave a sudden yank, causing Peyton to yelp. But Alex pulled the python down, and Alex crashed into the ground, Peyton using her as a cushion. The python hissed and roared, as it was brought to the ground. The vines disappeared. Suddenly, the earth shook and the rest of the building began to crumble. Peyton started to cry. Alex grabbed Peyton, and looked for Tyler, who was charging at the python. Alex grabbed Tyler's collar of his shirt and pulled him back.

"We got ten seconds before this place kills us! Lets go!" Alex ordered. She pulled Peyton up and pushed her into the back seat of the undamaged cab. Tyler got in the back beside her. Alex jumped in the front seat, and turned on the car. She slammed on the gas and sped out of there as sirens wailed towards them.


	13. Chapter 13

"Alex, slow down!" Peyton pleaded, and then she cried out in pain.

"You should've let me drive! Do you even have a driver's license?" Tyler asked. Alex noticed in the mirror that he took off his shirt and pressed it against Peyton's arm. The shirt has been dampened by a water bottle and it cleaned a bad scrape.

"Because you failed driver's Ed!" Alex snapped.

"At least I've taken it! And I passed the second time!" He shot back. Alex scowled. Peyton whimpered. Alex began to very softly sing a song, but it surprised Alex that it was in Ancient Greek. Peyton and Tyler couldn't hear, but they kept getting startled every time Alex jerked the car to pass someone. Alex was surprised that the police didn't pull them over for speeding.

"Alex! You're hands!" Alex looked at her hands on the wheel, and they were glowing. Looking down was a stupid mistake. Peyton and Tyler screamed, and Alex looked up. She jerked the car to the left. They grazed the other car.

"Pay attention to the road!" Tyler snapped, gripping the seat so tight his knuckles were white. Haha. That rhymed.

"Then everybody shut up!" Alex yelled. She refocused on the road and continued her song. Peyton's whimpering lessened. Alex smiled a little. Alex tuned up the radio to listen to some music. But an announcement came on about a robbed cab. Coincidentally, it was their cab number and license plate number. Alex groaned and looked in her mirrors.

You know how you see the car in the side view mirrors? Yeah. Well. Alex saw no car. But she wasn't surprised. She was done with everything. She wanted to just go home with her family, but Alex had fallen in love with Camp Half-Blood. Alex was born with problems, though. It could've been ten times worse. Alex could've had a childhood like Annabeth.

Alex admired and respected Annabeth. After all Annabeth has been through, Annabeth remains strong and unscarred and a truly great person. She is fierce and tough and brave and looked good all at once. Alex couldn't blame this Percy for falling for such a girl. Alex could never be such a person like Annabeth.

"Alex, slow down before you kill us!" Peyton snapped angrily. Alex sighed and lightened up on the gas pedal. Alex just wanted to get home as fast as she could and away from all the monsters. Alex wasn't sure how Mr. D would've reacted to her letter. Would he be relieved? Throughout the two weeks, Alex and Mr. D went at it with each other. Or would he be angry? Alex wasn't afraid of the god. It was weird, but he didn't intimidate Alex at all.

Alex hated herself. She had done such horrible things to Tyler and Peyton. And everyone's been so nice to her at Camp Half-Blood but she leaves. She was the world's biggest coward, too. She gave up. Alex had been so selfish lately. She could've tried harder to prevent Tyler from falling under the siren's spell, but then again, if she didn't, they probably would have never found Camp Half-Blood. But because of Alex, Annabeth's boyfriend has to go get her, but he hasn't returned in two weeks. And now, Alex was attempting to drive a car, but more than likely she will kill her friends in the attempt.


	14. Chapter 14

Alex drove all night. She just couldn't stop. Alex basically followed arrows that said lead to the closest thing Alex could read as a state. She assumed she was in Oklahoma, and Tyler confirmed it when he woke up. Alex knew he and Peyton didn't sleep well because of Alex's poor driving, but, hey, they lived.

Alex parked the cab in a parking garage in a small town. Alex was starving, and the growling stomachs of Peyton and Tyler confirmed their hunger as well. They decided to split up. Alex was going to look for a cheap place to stay and Peyton and Tyler would look for a cheap place to eat.

As Alex walked down the street, she looked in a restaurant window. The food smelled so good from inside. But when she looked in the window, she saw the reflections of the world behind her. But there was no Alex. Alex groaned, realizing that she had turned invisible again. She wished she could control her powers.

Alex decided that it was important to take advantage of being invisible. First, she pantsed some playground bullies who were picking on little kids. She also stopped a bank robber and held him until the police came. Then she walked away, the robber claiming she was there, but the police had decided that he was insane. Alex giggled and looked into the bank, that was already recovering from the robbery. Everything in there went back to normal.

Alex watched a beautiful young girl with auburn hair put some money in an ATM. Like, a lot of money. And then she set aside his wallet so she could write a check. Hmph. Rich kid... Alex then debated on what was right and what is wrong. She checked her reflection again. Still invisible. Silently, she slipped the wallet off the counter and into her pocket. It turned invisible like Alex, who ran away before she could become visible again.

Alex felt awful. She hated herself even more. She shouldn't have stole it, but she did. She did and now she can't undo it. Well, she could. She could go back to the bank and slip it back to the girl and she wouldn't know a thing because Alex was invisible. But when Alex ran away, she stole a look back and the girl smiled right at her. Alex stopped to see her reflection in a puddle, and she was invisible. Alex sighed, and then noticed an ATM machine outside a Jewel. Alex remembered how slowly the girl entered the PIN number, as if she kept forgetting the numbers.

Alex whipped out the credit card from the wallet and stuck it in. She entered the PIN number. Alex chose to withdraw twenty dollars, and then the ATM asked the strangest question on the screen. Would you like it in cash, denarii, or drachmas? Denarii sounded like currency in Denmark. Well, Alex wouldn't be going to Denmark anytime soon. Alex was still a demigod and demigods use drachmas. Just in case, Alex pressed drachmas.

When the ATM asked if Alex wanted another transaction, Alex gave into temptation and pressed yes. And to make matters worse, she hit three hundred bucks, and got it in cash. Alex stuffed it all into the wallet and left.

* * *

Alex looked all around the town for Peyton and Tyler. She found them after eleven in the morning, walking down the sidewalk.

"What did you find?" Alex asked.

"Alex? Is that you?" Peyton asked.

"I'm still invisible?!" Alex cried. When Tyler nodded, Alex started yelling every swear in the picture book because Alex can't read.

"Alex! Don't be cussin' like that!" Peyton snapped. "Cussin' is bad." Alex gave her a look, but Peyton couldn't see it. Alex kept her mouth shut for Peyton, but the silence must've confused Peyton because she reached out and lightly stroked Alex's hair. Peyton cried out, startled, and Alex giggled. Tyler then naturally slipped his hand into Alex's, a perfect fit. A perfect match. This startled Alex because she knew she was still invisible. Tyler gave her a reassuring squeeze though and smiled at her. It was then that Alex had reappeared, scaring Peyton, but Tyler remained unfazed.

"So what'd you find out?" Alex asked again, leaning into Tyler as he wrapped his arms around her.

"McDonald's is the cheapest." Peyton said.

"And we're in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma." Tyler added. "We got three dollars. We can buy something off the dollar menu." He suggested. Alex then pulled away from Tyler and looked away from the pair, unable to meet their eyes.

"Alex? What's wrong?" Tyler asked tenderly. He waited and then reached for her hand and held it gently.

"I did something horrible." Alex spoke.

"It doesn't matter. You're still an amazing girl." Tyler reassured.

"I stole a wallet and hacked someone's bank account after stopping a robbery." Alex said bluntly.

"You had no choice." Tyler protested. Alex shook her head and pulled out the fancy wallet, which felt surprisingly light and thin even though Alex put a big wad of cash and drachmas in it. She then pulled out every gold drachma and every single piece of cash. After showing it to them and not getting a response, Alex put it all away. And then she pulled out the credit card for Peyton and Tyler to see. Alex just noticed that it was red and a hologram. If Alex titled it one way, a sun appeared on the right side of the card. And if Alex titled it another way, a moon appeared on the left side of the card.

"Alexandra A. Robinson." Peyton read. Alex looked closer at the card. It looked like alphabet soup, but then Alex made out her name. Alexandra A. Robinson.

"A? I've known you since we were seven and I never knew your middle name. What is it?" Tyler asked.

"Oh, it's so stupid. You don't want to hear it." Alex protested.

"Aw, c'mon Alex. Let's hear it." Peyton begged. "I'll tell you mine. It's Demetria." Alex shook her head.

"Alright. Desperate times calls for desperate measures." Tyler said sinisterly. Alex barely had time to react. Tyler wrapped his arms around Alex and then began to tickle her. Alex started to laugh.

"Stop it, Tyler!" Alex squealed, laughing.

"I will when you tell me your middle name." He replied. Alex struggled in his grasp, but she spazzed out and fell to the ground. Tyler bent over her and continued to tickle and Alex laughed harder. Her stomach began to ache and Alex was having a hard time breathing.

"Fine! Fine! My middle name's Apollonia!" Alex cried, tears forming from the laughter. Tyler stopped and Alex froze. "My middle name's Apollonia." And then she face palmed herself. "I'm so stupid! Wow, go Alex." Alex then banged her fist in the sidewalk and it cracked, startling Tyler and Peyton. "Apollonia. What kind of name is Apollonia?" Alex looked to the sky as if to get some sort of response, but there wasn't any.

"But if you stole this wallet, then why is your name on the credit card?" Tyler asked.

"Because I've been sleepwalking again?" Alex asked.

"You kind of stopped sleepwalking, but you sleep talk." Tyler corrected.

"What do I say?"

"A bunch of gibberish that rhymes." Alex rolled her eyes.

"Maybe Aunt Thalia has something to so with it." Peyton suggested. They shrugged. So, they got a decent hotel room and McDonald's to go. After eating a hearty lunch, Tyler and Peyton passed out on the beds. Alex felt like a pig because she ate the most and still wanted more. Alex wasn't tired anymore, though. More than likely she was overtired.

Alex went out to the balcony and practiced fire and light. Alex began to get the hang of it, but she realized it was probably because the sun was shining at high noon. She made her hands glow gold until her hand disappeared in it and she looked like she had a golden kickball for a hand. And then she summoned fire. Her hands burst into flames, but it did not burn at all.

Suddenly, some figures appeared ahead. If a woman and an eagle had a baby, it'd be those creatures. Three were flying in the cloudless sky, chasing a golden bird that looked like it was on fire. Alex recognized it as a Phoenix, but it was heavily injured. Alex concentrated the fire into a ball in her palm and she threw it at the bird women. It definitely turned their attention onto Alex. She then created a ball of light instead of fire and blasted it at them, knocking one out of the sky with an explosion.

With the attention on her, the Phoenix was able to safely crash down on the roof of a building. Alex drew her bow and arrows. She releases an arrow to another one of the bird women, and aimed for her heart. It hit dead on and she turned to dust that the wind carried away. One left. This was too easy.

Alex just jinxed it in her head. The final bird lady swooped in, talons out. Alex ducked, but the bird lady turned around and swooped in again. Alex's bow formed a very sharp end at the top, like a the top of a spear, but on a bow. Alex used that as a spear and drove it right into the bird lady's chest. She cried out in pain like the mix of a human scream and a bird call. She repeated this call several more annoying times, waking up Tyler and Peyton. Alex groaned and drew an arrow, and then released it, killing the bird lady.

"What happened? Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Tyler quickly asked.

"Easiest battle of my life. These bird ladies were chasing a Phoenix, and then they spotted me, and attacked me." Alex explained casually. As if on cue, the fire bird landed on Alex's shoulder. Alex picked him up and examined his wounds. His body is where most of the wounds were. Alex brought him inside their room and tended his wounds.


	15. Chapter 15

After Alex finished tending to the Phoenix's wounds, it nuzzled right up to Alex. She giggled and scratched his chin and strokes his wings.

"Looks like you made a new friend." Peyton spoke. "Whatcha gonna call him?"

"Pyro." Tyler laughed. "What's wrong with Pyro?" Alex asked.

"Nothing, nothing." Tyler smiled at her and kissed her forehead.

"Lovebirds!" Peyton called from the balcony. "We got company." Alex and Tyler rushed to the balcony beside Peyton. Running wild and terrorizing the streets was seven snake dragon things. Alex then realized that it was all connected to one freakish body.

"What the heck is that?!" Peyton yelled. Alex already drew her sword and jumped off the balcony. Peyton screamed, but Alex already formed the golden ball at her feet that lifts her into the air and makes her fly. Alex had a hard time controlling it. In fact, she crashed into a building. But at least she was there to stop the freakish snake.

Alex rose to her feet and jumped into battle against the monster. Alex dodged every head that came at her and stabbed one in the eye. Tyler and Peyton arrive, their weapons raised. Alex tackled one of the heads, knocking the head and Alex into a building. Alex struggled to stay on the head and stabbed its eyes out. Tyler sliced off one head and Peyton protected some bystanders.

Unfortunately, two heads grew back from the sliced one because Alex is just that lucky. And then Alex face palmed herself, but she slipped and fell off the head, crashing into the ground and making a small crater like in cartoons. She rose to her feet. She couldn't win this battle. The monster rampaged around, and Alex had to get Tyler and Peyton out of there. Alex reverted her sword back to a flash drive and pocketed it. Alex summoned the light to a ball and flew quickly towards the nearest person, Tyler. She picked him up with one hand, and held him close to her. With Alex's free hand, she scooped Peyton up and held her close by her. Alex soared into the sky and flew to the parking garage and only lost control once. New record.

_If he's not out of the sky, I'll blast all three of you._ The voice in Alex's head scared her so much she screamed and sped up. She was going so fast, she started to glow gold, the shooting star attack forming.

"Slow down, Alex!" Peyton yelled. Alex realized what was happening and slowed down. She carried Tyler and Peyton so tightly, they couldn't breathe. But the ugly snake thing followed them and they were getting threatened to be zapped out of the sky. Well, specifically, Tyler. Zeus didn't want Tyler in the sky.

Alex reached their cab and dropped Tyler and Peyton, but she couldn't stop herself so she crashed into a wall. The ugly dragon was downtown, but it was working its ugly way up to them. Alex had to stop it somehow. She rose to her feet, and redrew her sword. She then used the ball of light to fly back downtown.

Alex flew in and stabbed the monster's body. It didn't do anything. The skin was like indestructible or something. Alex landed and summoned a giant ball of light the size of a bus, and threw it at it. The energy blast exploded when it made contact with the overgrown snake. It began to spit acid, which Alex dodged easily, but it got her sword. Then Alex got the idea of slicing the necks off again. The acid was poisonous, so maybe it'll actually kill the ugly beast. Alex jumped into the air and began to fly again with the ball of light. She flew straight across in front of it, slicing ever single head swiftly. Alex actually landed gracefully, down on one knee and arms spread wide. It was pretty funny.

Alex turned around to see if her plan had worked. Pyro flew directly at her, and she yelped and ducked out of the way. When she lifted her head, the neck stumps were burning from Pyro's golden flower-like flames. Alex then summoned a ball of fire herself and threw it at the body, adding to the fire. The body began to dissolve like the rest of the other monsters. The fire burned itself out.

Tyler pulled the car up to Alex, who climbed into the back seat as Tyler floored it before Alex was all the way in. As the sun sets, Alex made the illusion of making the cab invisible. But as the sun was setting, it was growing difficult. Pyro was on Alex's shoulder, and he nuzzled up to her cheek.

You'd think that their problems were over now that they got away from the ugly monster. Alex did too. Until she had another one of her visions.

"Alex?" Peyton asked. Alex was very still, and very pale. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and pain overcame her, the world fading around her. A new world formed.

There was the orphanage. It was as dark as it was when Alex left. Many storm spirits were terrorizing the place, but two people were holding them off. They were both boys. One had messy black hair and sea green eyes. He wielded a sword. The second was half donkey but with horns and a goatee. Alex then realized he was a satyr like the ones Alex saw at Camp. He was playing on some reed pipes, making the grass strangle the storm spirits. Aunt Thalia was gardening some bush. Great.

And to make things better, Alex's old friend, the python, has returned and attacks her home. Fantastic. Alex screamed in a fit of anger as she watched the exhausted looking boys groan and fight the python. The first boy summoned some water to assist him, but the python seemed extra angry.

The scene shifts. Kind of. This time, Alex is actually a part of the fight with Tyler and Peyton, but the storm spirits are kidnapping her her. Well isn't that great? Peyton summoned vines to pull Alex down, but she only got Alex's shoes off. And to make things better, the orphanage was in flames.


	16. Chapter 16

Peyton started to panic. Alex, her leader, was having another seizure. Usually Thalia or the school nurse took care of Alex, but now it was just Peyton and Tyler. Peyton watched Alex's eyes roll to the back of her head and she sat there motionless. And then slowly Alex started to cry. Tears of blood.

That's when Peyton screamed.

Tyler jerked the car and pulled over. He turned around and his eyes widened.

"Alex?" He called and he got out of the driver's seat and got into the back seat beside her. He held her hand, but Peyton couldn't do anything but hold her other hand. She took some tissues and wiped her eyes gently, but she couldn't do anything else but watch her as she occasionally twitched.

When this happens, no one except Thalia or the school nurse is allowed to see Alex. Peyton thought Alex might die now. She didn't have any equipment to stop the seizure.

"_Just let it run its course._" A calm female voice spoke. Peyton froze and looked around.

"Did you hear that?" Peyton asked Tyler nervously. He gave her a confused look and then shook his had.

_"Don't worry, Peyton. Everything's going to be okay."_ The voice said. Peyton dampened a tissue with a water bottle and put it over Alex's eyes. Peyton was such a lousy friend. Alex had such a lousy birthday. Peyton wished her a happy birthday and spent most of their funds on a good breakfast when they ran off. Peyton was no good in a battle either. She was a big scaredy cat and didn't have the heart to kill. Alex and Tyler are strong and are great leaders. Peyton's just there.

Alex's Phoenix, Pyro, flew in front of Alex and over her head. And then, little tears streamed down his face, and onto Alex's eyes. The blood stopped.

"I forgot. Phoenix's tears have healing powers in them." Peyton petted Pyro.

"Thanks. I owe you one." Tyler said to the fire bird. With everything that has been happening in the past two weeks, Peyton realized that Alex might not be having seizures. Crying blood is not normal. So, what could it be? Does it have something to do with being the daughter of Apollo? And Alex is the daughter of Apollo. The one that fell from Mt. Olympus when she was a baby. It was hard for Peyton to believe, and she doubted that Alex even knew who she was.

Alex finally showed signs of life.

* * *

Alex's eyes were burning.

This is the first time Alex ever felt fire. Her eyes were on fire. But there was something cool and damp over them, which did make her feel better. And then some more water dripped over her eyes, easing the pain. Slowly, she took off the tissue, and it began to fall apart in her hands. She looked in the rear view mirror.

Gods, did she look awful. Her eyes were pinkish red. The most color she has on her entire face. There was blood all over her cheeks.

"Why are we stopped?! We have to get to Dallas, fast!" Alex cried, startling Tyler and Peyton. She couldn't tell them about her vision. Whenever she would open her mouth to tell her, she'd get a strong, sharp pain to her side that shut her right up.

"Why?" Tyler asked.

"We just have to! Percy and Grover!" She reminded. She wasn't telling them about her vision, she was just reminded. But the pain began to grow in her side. Thank the gods, Tyler nodded, but before he could get out, Alex jumped out of the cab and into the front seat. She slammed on the gas pedal, and sped out of there.

Tyler and Peyton weren't happy that Alex was driving. Alex was a terrible driver, but she didn't have time for Tyler to drive carefully. Those boys won't make it if Alex didn't make it in time. Peyton was getting nauseous from Alex's driving, and Tyler was mad because Alex just got over "a seizure." But he helped guide Alex on which exits to take.

Alex noticed that Tyler and Peyton were sleeping. Alex was exhausted. But she can't sleep. She can't. She has to get home before she loses it.


	17. Chapter 17

Two weeks.

Percy has been fighting storm spirits with Grover for two weeks. Thalia (yes, Thalia as in Thalia of the Nine Muses) has been trying to get Percy and Grover back, but every time they try to leave, they get attacked by storm spirits. This has been going on for_ two weeks_.

And because of the Curse of Achilles, Percy can't really stop fighting those stupid storm spirits.

Thalia's magical barrier thing is busted too. She's been working on that.

Percy was exhausted. Everyday, they come back. Some fights were quick, others lasted for hours. He wants to see Annabeth again and go back to Camp Half-Blood. He missed his mom. He should be back at school by now. He didn't miss that.

The doors and windows won't open to the basement. Percy even tried to break it down himself, but it was no use. Percy was glad. They were safe. Thalia the muse had built this orphanage to protect demigods. And it did its job.

Thalia made Percy and Grover a bowl of cereal for breakfast. She looked just as exhausted but with a look of frustration. She then returned outside to go fix the broken golden flower. Yes, golden flower. That's the barrier. The thing that hides the orphanage from the world.

Not to mention, Percy and Grover were hot. They hated the Texas heat so much. It made New York seem like Alaska. They were always sweaty here. They weren't used to such heat. Like, seriously, it's like Apollo has turned on them.

What was somewhat comforting to Percy was the water underground and the lake about not even mile down the road. He wondered though why it didn't dry up from the heat. Percy felt like he was.

Percy felt a sudden gust of wind when he took a bite of his cereal. Grover felt it too. Percy groaned and drew Riptide. He swallowed and rushed outside as Grover grabbed his reed pipes. There were about twenty storm spirits flying around and attacking the orphanage. They couldn't touch Percy because he bathed in the River Styx early that summer. But they could wear him out. He had to defend Grover because he isn't invulnerable like Percy.

It wasn't even eight, and they were swarming him and Grover. He never gave up and slashed everything in sight. The numbers were decreasing rapidly. This would be a quick battle.

And then there was fire.

The owner of the fire was a big lizard dude. Of course.

"Python!" Grover yelped. And the best news is, he came with his friends: more storm spirits. Percy just wanted to scream. He thought things would settle down now that Kronos was gone. He stood correct and charged at the python.

The fight when on for a while. Percy couldn't tell how long, but it felt like forever. Thalia played some music that had the storm spirits laughing their heads off and rolling across the ground. This was Percy's chance to kill them, but the python always got in his way. He was exhausted, and he could tell Grover and Thalia were too. He had to protect this place and then get back to Annabeth.

Annabeth. Percy missed her so much. He wished she was at his back, helping him fight. She could figure out how to kill all these monsters. She was smart like that. And now, well, he felt like his brain really was seaweed.

And then there was light. It startled everyone, and Percy almost believed that the gods answered his wish and was going to drop Annabeth off to help him. But, it wasn't Annabeth, Percy realized. At first he thought it was, because it was a silhouette of a girl. She was flying with a golden sphere at her feet, leaving behind a golden streak behind her that eventually disappeared. She was very swift, and she punched the python right in the jaw, knocking it very far away like it weighed nothing. She landed, the golden ball disappearing.

"You didn't think you'd have all the fun, did you, Peter Johnson?" She said in a teasing tone. Percy was startled. That's what Mr. D called him annoyingly. She laughed at his face. "Hi, Seaweed Brain. I'm Alex Robinson. And I'm here to save your butt. Nice to meet you, Percy Jackson." She pulled out a flash drive, but it transformed into a Celestial Bronze sword. Percy was completely confused. How did this girl know him? She startled Grover too by saying, "Hi, Grover!"

Percy had to admit, Alex was really pretty. had sandy blonde hair past her shoulders. She wore a tank top and shorts. On her arm was a glittering gold tattoo with the symbol of Olympus on it combined with Apollo's symbol. She had bright blue eyes and probably had a tan, but its faded. She had a great figure and fire in her blue eyes and a bright white smile. Then it hit Percy. She was the spitting image of Apollo. She was the first child of Apollo he's met that wields a sword.

She charged at the python, who was returning. It breathed fire, but it didn't affect her. Percy noted that there was fear in her eyes, but also a little bit of insanity.

"Come at me, bro!" She yelled at it. Percy laughed at her, already liking her. Just then, a cab turned off the road and onto the grass where the battle was. It stopped suddenly, and the sunroof was broken. Two people rushed out, a boy and a girl. The boy was maybe an inch taller than Percy, with dark brown hair and very dark chocolate eyes. He was the kind of guy that was captain or quarterback of the football team. He drew a large sword and rushed to help Alex.

The girl was small, with light brown extreme curls and hazel eyes. She had a splash of freckles on her nose. She drew a knife and followed the boy and Alex, but she waved at Percy and Grover.

"Peyton, over here!" Thalia called. The girl, Peyton, ran to Thalia, who was now tending to the golden flower barrier thing. When Percy looked back at Alex, her hands were glowing. She seemed to be trying to form something, but a long golden chain appeared in each hand.

"Whoa." Escaped Percy. Alex seemed startled too, but she then managed to wrap one around the jaw and the other around the neck. She then swung onto the back of the python and used the chains as reins. "You're riding on the python?!" Percy cried. She was laughing and reared the python like a horse. It began to try and buck her off, but she remained on.

"Of course! Don't act like you want to try it!" She called.

"Alex! You'll get yourself killed!" The boy called up at her. Suddenly, the python spread its big slender wings and flew up into the air. Alex attempted to control it, but it was going on a rampage. It spun around rapidly, but Alex remained on and tried to get control. Finally, the python dove down into the ground, back first. When it was in the air, the chains had shattered and dissolved and Alex was lying in a crater. She quickly got up and threw some drumsticks in the air, and they became a bow and quiver of arrows. She shot golden arrows that streaked at the python, right through the wings. It soon was unable to fly anymore, and then Alex withdrew her bow and arrows, and pulled out her sword again.


	18. Chapter 18

Alex really needed to sleep.

It's been two days and she hasn't got more than a couple hours of sleep. And now, Alex was so overtired, she was extremely hyper. The adrenaline pumped Alex. It was a real rush, and Alex loved it. She could do anything. When she shot that python freak out of the sky, she went at it with her sword. She hardly used it, even. She wrestled it down while Tyler, Percy, and Grover took care of those annoying storm spirits. Alex was so overtired and hyper, the python didn't scare her anymore. And maybe part of the reason was also because it was threatening her home and nobody threatens Alex's family and home.

Alex has getting good with her powers. She was able to form a golden dome shield to protect herself from the python. It wore off a few seconds later, but those seconds it was up were glorious. Alex began to slash at the python, and it got very angry. It slashed at her, and she started bleeding horribly, but Alex was so hyper she didn't have a care in the world.

Unfortunately, the python knocked Alex's sword out of her hand and across the field. No matter. Alex jumped into the air and summoned the ball of light, making her fly. After soaring high above the clouds, she then dove down. Her body was glowing, and he then became like a rocket, accelerating in speed. She streaked down and hit the ugly dragon's back, and there was an explosion.

Alex recoiled back and stumbled onto the ground. But she was laughing, which had everyone give her worried looks. She didn't care. She was hyper. The python roared at her and it charged at her again. Alex pulled out her handy dandy bow and quiver of arrows. She drew a golden arrow, and when she released it, a firework exploded on contact with the python. Alex drew another arrow, this time hoping for the kill. She released it and it pierced the python's heart. It roared in pain and disintegrated.

"Woohoo!" Alex cheered. And then she went at the storm spirits. This time, without a lacrosse stick and she had some idea of what she was doing. She summoned multiple energy blasts at them. Finally, Alex thought, I can finally have some control!

Suddenly, Alex was swarmed by them. She slashed madly, but more came in waves. The storm spirits grabbed her arms and legs and lifted her into the air. She struggled to free herself, but she ended up dropping her sword. She also tried summoning light, but her hands weren't free and they held her so she couldn't form the energy ball at her feet.

Peyton noticed Alex, and then summoned vines. The vines squeezed through the storm spirits, and wrapped around Alex's feet. Peyton and Tyler started pulling her down, but Alex's shoes slipped off. Great.

This is when Alex felt like the Hulk. She was getting angry, and she could feel it boil inside her. She tried to summon light again, but instead she summoned a ball of fire. Good enough. Alex flailed like a spaz and threw the fireball like Super Mario. It missed. She tried again, and managed to throw it in the face of one. The storm spirit dropped Alex's legs and its hands went to its eyes. Now, Alex formed the ball of light and her feet and freed herself completely.

"Haha! You failed! Can't touch this!" Alex yelled at them, laughing as she swooped down to pick up her sword. But there was a light out of the corner of her eye. When she looked up, the orphanage was on fire. Just like her vision. Immediately, Alex tried to control the flames. That didn't work. She screamed and stomped down in a fit of anger. Her instinct now was to evacuate the orphanage. She didn't know who else would still be here, but she had to get them out.

Alex kicked open the front door.

"Guys?! Anybody home!?" She screamed. No answer. She walked to the basement door. The flames were getting bigger and smoke was filling the whole place. Alex wasn't affected by it at all though. She turned the knob of the basement door. Locked. She punched it. Didn't even dent it. Alex needed Tyler to tackle the door down, but he wouldn't be able to breathe.

Without any warning, a wave crashed over Alex. A freaking wave in the middle of no where, Texas. Alex started to spaz out. The water seemed to drain itself and the orphanage was in one piece. Alex trembled. She could've drowned a second time again. But she still had to make sure everyone was okay.

First, Alex peeked out the window. Percy winked at her.

"Thanks, Wonder Boy." Alex then backed as far as she could away from the door. She then sprinted as fast as she could and slammed her whole weight against the door. It broke open and Alex tumbled down the stairs oh-so-gracefully.

"Get 'em!" The familiar voice yelled. It belonged to Macy. Alex found herself being beaten by many different kinds of sports equipment and pillows. It was pitch black, but Alex can see perfectly. She saw the familiar faces of all of the kids in the orphanage.

"Guys! Guys! GUYS!" She screamed over their battle cries and a golden pulse of light exploded out from Alex, slamming everyone into the walls. Alex jumped to her feet, and flipped the light switch. The lights in the basement came to life, lighting the room. Macy threw a shoe at Alex, hitting her in the head. "My converse! I've missed you so much!" Alex cried, hugging the converse high top sneaker.

"You've got like, three pairs. And you're wearing some now." Dina pointed out.

"Yeah, but, this is my favorite pair." Alex protested. Alex found herself being swarmed again, but this time by her family. Alex was being suffocated, but she didn't care. As it turns out, after the barrier went down, they've all been claimed and are demigods like her. It was freaking amazing.

It turns out, Aunt Thalia told them to stay downstairs and never come up until she says so. She brings them their meals, but there have been some days were she was too busy to. They didn't care. No school and Wifi and food. Life was good.

With a crash from above, Alex was brought back to the reality of what was happening outside. Alex quickly redrew her sword and rushed up the steps and out the front door.

"You didn't really think you'd have all the fun, did you?" Macy asked from behind Alex. Alex spun around and there was everyone else behind Macy, holding kitchen knives and baseball bats and frying pans.

"Kids! Those are my good knives and pans!" Aunt Thalia called from a golden flower her and Peyton tended to. But no one listened and joined Percy and Grover in battle. Even though they had no idea of what they were doing, they were a big help. Alex could tell Percy and Grover appreciated it.

Alex formed the golden chains of light in her hands, and spun around, knocking every storm spirit away for Percy or Tyler or someone with a knife to kill it. Alex kept spinning, but then she couldn't stop. The chains disappeared and she realized she was like one of those stupid spinning top toys now. Everywhere she spun, there was the same blurs of orange, yellow, and red. Like a spinning top, she spun extremely fast and moved across the field. She could feel this barrier thing around herself collide and run over some things. Alex prayed it was storm spirits.

The rush was amazing. It was like being in a car and going over speed bumps, but you just kind of plow through them. Alex didn't want to say it was like running over road kill because she hates road kill, but it was basically like that. Alex couldn't stop spinning. She stopped feeling the road kill against her barrier.

"Somebody stop me!" She screamed. No response. Alex was scared because she wasn't dizzy. And then suddenly, a wave crashed over Alex and she was shoved to the ground by the force of it. She started to shiver. Percy stood over her and offered a hand. She took it and he helped her up. And then the dizziness hit her. She stumbled back, but Percy pulled her forward. She stumbled forward and he gripped her shoulders to right her.

"You almost burned me, hot-head." He said teasingly.

"That was fire?" Alex asked.

"Duh." Alex rolled her eyes. Now the exhaustion was hitting her. She almost collapsed right there.

"I need a nap." Alex muttered. Percy practically carried Alex inside before Tyler could. The world was spinning. There was three Tylers and four Percys. Everyone gathered around the worlds longest kitchen table used for their meals (obviously). Percy stopped dead. Grover looked frozen too, their eyes locked on Macy.

"What the heck are you guys staring at?" Macy snapped defensively. Alex then saw it too. The picture Annabeth had shown her...

"Macy Castellan."

"That's my name. Don't wear it out." Macy replied.

"You do have a sibling." Alex said. Macy nodded.

"Luke." Percy added. Macy's face was written with surprise.

"How did you know his name?" Macy questioned.

"They've gone to Camp together. Camp Half-Blood. He-" Alex stopped. Now it was Percy and Grover's turn to be surprised.

"He what?" Macy demanded.

"He and I were close." Percy quickly added. Macy scowled.

"We ran away together, but he ditched me off at our grandmother's house when I was five. Haven't seem him since. Not that I want to. Who wants to meet a guy who does that?" Macy grumbled. Percy, Grover, and Alex all exchanged looks, and silently agreed not to tell her that Luke's dead now. Alex remembered Annabeth, and how upset she got. Annabeth broke down another day while they were sword fighting. Alex comforted her.

That afternoon, as exhausted as Alex was, tended to everyone's wounds with Aunt Thalia, but Alex mostly did the healing. Nothing major, so that was good. When it was over, Percy and Grover took over and explained demigod-ness and Camp Half-Blood.

"You should go rest Alex. You've had a long day." Aunt Thalia suggested. Alex nodded and walked downstairs. But when she entered the main living area, she spotted her baby, her iPod...in someone's hands. He was young looking, maybe a little older than Alex, and from the back of his head, he had sandy hair like Alex. He wore a white sleeveless t-shirt, blue jeans, and loafers. On top of his head was Ray Bans sunglasses. He was scrolling through her songs on her iPod.

Alex quickly reached for a nearby lacrosse stick that happened to be there. Nobody touches her baby. Silently, she snuck up behind the man and raised the lacrosse stick, but before she could strike, he grabbed it and pulled it out of her hands without turning around. He then dropped it at his feet and continued scrolling. Alex then reached for a frying pan that also happened to be there. She was getting irritated. She raised it and slammed it against his head. Well, she aimed for his head, but he quickly blocked it with his hand and his hand made a hand-shaped dent into the metal frying pan.

Alex quickly tossed aside the pan and drew her sword, knowing that he wasn't human.

"Put my baby down, or I'll kill you." He laughed and turned around. He had blue eyes and a cocky, extremely bright smile and outdoorsy good looks. Ray Bans sunglasses were on his head. Alex dropped her sword. It was like her gender-bender. Exactly how Annabeth had described.

"Hey, kiddo. You really think you can kill me?"


	19. Chapter 19

Alex slapped herself. He was still there. She rubbed her eyes. Still there. He picked up the sword and examined it.

"Looks as good as new. Looks just the same as the day Hephaestus gave it to you. Just a tyke, but I foresaw that you'd use it. Fell with you too, funny how that works? Daphne must've picked it up and kept it safe." He shook his head and then waved his hand in front of Alex's face. "Nice attempt at sneaking up on me, but you can't sneak up on a god who can see the future. Lucky I pinpointed this place before Thalia reset the barrier. And now we can have a happy reunion!" He frowned. "Alexandra?"

"It's Alex!" Alex snapped quickly.

"Okay, Alex." He smiled at her. It would've been blinding to anyone, but not to Alex. "Daphne chose the name Alexandra. She's a descendant of Alexander the Great, you know. And some sorcery ran in her family too. Maybe that was the extra touch that made you so special. But not as special as _moi_."

"Nothing's special about me." Alex rolled her eyes. He chuckled.

"Good one. You're pretty special. You were the first kiddo to be born such a powerful goddess that isn't a child of Zeus. Sure, you had human in you, but you were like Dionysus and to be destined a goddess." Alex shook her head.

"That's not true."

"Now it's not. You fell. One day, you were riding on your Pegasus, Sky, who was also your present from Poseidon, and you just fell off her and down to Earth. I assumed Daphne retrieved you. Now you have to earn your ticket to being a goddess." He explained. "Where is she, by the way? I haven't seen her in so long. I don't know why you'd live in such a dump. We had a sweet crib up in Olympus."

"Do you live in a freaking box?" Alex snapped, startling Apollo. "Daphne's dead!" Apollo's eyes widened.

"She can't be dead. I would've known." He protested.

"If she's not dead, then she somehow became a mermaid and lives under the sea." Alex grumbled. "She drowned herself!" Anger suddenly boiled in Alex.

"Not Daphne." He protested again.

"She committed suicide because of us. Because you took me away, and when she got me back, she probably hid me. But when I got older, she only saw you. She loved you, Apollo! She really loved you. And you broke her heart. Because I was so much like you and she missed you so much, she went insane and drowned herself."

"Daphne..." He muttered. "I fell for her too. Maybe she was the hardest. Like the first Daphne." Alex listened to his words carefully, trying to detect lies.

"I fell in love with her,

She is a mortal

I am a god."

"Was that supposed to be a haiku?" Alex asked. Alex thought that this was the god of poetry. She was disappointed because he told the most horrible haikus ever.

"It was!" Alex shook her head. "This is a haiku:

As the wind does blow

Across the trees, I see the

Buds blossoming in May."

"It's not May." Apollo pointed out.

"Then why'd you take me away? Why did you leave the rest of my brothers and sister with their mothers?" Alex demanded.

"I told you, Alex. You're special. You inherited more god than mortal, and no one knows why. You were born to be a goddess."

"Me? A goddess? I can't."

"It's in your blood. Have you ever looked at it closely? It glitters gold. You heal faster than others. And you can do great things. The fall made it so you have to really work for it now because the goddess in you went to sleep and has to reawaken." Apollo explained. Alex shook her head in disbelief. She didn't want any of this. It was truly scary for her, but she swallowed the fear.

"You know what I learned? I thought Japan was called 'the Land of the Rising Sun' because of me. Turns out there's a fraud called Amaterasu who claims she's the sun goddess." Apollo rolled his eyes.

"Although there is a fraud in Japan

I love a prophet with a flute

that is a sword named Pillow Talk"

Alex rolled her eyes at the awful haiku. She decided to change the subject.

"Please don't be mad and like, I don't know, curse Aunt Thalia."

"I was beyond angry when I first found you. I'll give her a piece of my mind later, but I won't curse her. She's a Nine Muse. There can't be Eight Muses. That just doesn't sound right, does it?" He smiled at her. "But, I also was relieved that you were safe and alive. I was overjoyed. All those years of searching...you've touched my heart. You've also shown me to be a better parent too."

"Please." Alex rolled her eyes.

"Really. I don't want to lose you again." Alex didn't know how she should feel about those words. It was all truth. Great. He summoned a large present out of thin air.

"Happy late birthday." Alex took the present and opened it. It was Guitar Hero complete with guitars.

"Thanks, dad. You didn't have to." He smiled the cocky smile Alex also saw in the mirror every time she looked.

"Do you want to try it?" Alex offered. His eyes lit up like the sun (ironic yet cheesy). Her dad set it up and gave her the cherry red guitar. He let her pick the song, and she chose the fastest song and on pro face-off on the highest level.

It ended in a tie.

"Whoa! Guitar Hero!" Nick exclaimed. Alex and Apollo and turned around, and little Nicky stood there, his mouth hanging open. Suddenly, everyone rushed downstairs to see because the only game they had was DDR.

"We're in the middle of a face-off!" Alex said, but everyone moved closer.

"You're up against the god of music. Are you sure this is smart?" Percy asked.

"Alex isn't the brightest crayon in the Crayola box." Tyler teased and Alex hit him.

"I'm betting on Alex. If she says something she's gonna do, she's gonna do it. So, if she says she's going to beat the god of music, then she will beat him." Dante spoke up.

"Thanks, Dante." And everyone began to place bets. Tyler and Percy were on the same side, which surprised Alex because Alex got the vibe that they rubbed each other the wrong way. Tyler got jealous that Percy was kind of half-carrying Alex inside, but Alex thought Tyler looked pretty hot when he's mad or jealous. It was cute too.

So, Alex and Apollo engaged in another pro face-off. It was so freaking intense. The song was extremely long and extremely fast. There were many cheers and screams from everyone in that room. Alex ignored them all and let her fingers move and press the right buttons on the guitar. Her eyes were practically glued to the screen and she was pretty sure she killed majority of the small amount of brain cells she has. It was the very end, and she had dropped to her knees. When the points appeared, the screen declared Alex the winner with one extra point. She screamed a victory cry and jumped to her feet, throwing her arms into the air.

"I let you win." Apollo said as everyone began to hand over money. Alex rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, okay, sure. Tell yourself whatever you want. I still kicked your butt!" Alex yelled. He stared at her. She frowned. "Please don't give me donkey ears." And then he chuckled a little darkly. That's when Alex dropped the guitar and sprinted down the hall. Apollo followed her, but walked. She formed the ball at her feet and began to fly towards a window, but with the snap of his fingers, the light had disappeared and he had control over it. Apollo put his hands over Alex's ears and they transformed into donkey ears. Alex screamed.

"NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOO!" Alex screamed, and she tugged on her new donkey ears in disbelief that they were actually there. Apollo was laughing at her, and then returned her ears to normal. She punched Apollo, but he laughed at her. She laughed too, at the insanity of it all.

"Before I go," Apollo began.

"To the east there is

Something stirring

It is very bad."

"Like this haiku..." Alex muttered. Everyone but Apollo broke out in chuckles and giggles. Apollo scowled.

"I thought my own daughter would know how to appreciate my awesome poetry. You should feel honored that I, a very cool god, shared my amazing poetry with you." Apollo actually looked offended. Alex couldn't help but laugh.


	20. Chapter 20

Apollo went upstairs to talk to Aunt Thalia and everyone had a tournament with Alex's new Guitar Hero. Alex took the opportunity to sleep. She dragged herself into her shared bedroom, home sweet home. But her bed was covered with presents. Alex began to take the giant pile off her bed, but the curiosity overcame her. There were many golden presents. One wasn't wrapped and it was her very own Ray Bans sunglasses she's been wanting for forever!

Alex opened the first one, and Apollo had left her a note: _Alexandra, this was Athena's present to you when you were born. Better late than never, right? It's to help control your awesome powers. -Apollo._ It was a golden bracelet with two glittering opals on it. Alex put it on. She already began to feel more controlled. She didn't know what it was, but whatever it was, it was working so well it was scary.

_Alexandra, this is little sis's present to you. It allows you to convert moon energy into solar and light energy because I know you'll be utterly useless at night. Also for your birth. -Apollo._ It was a white wristwatch with gold engravings and design. But there wasn't really a clock. Instead, it was a digital golden bar, like a battery on an iPod or an iPad. It said 100% full. Alex assumed that it would decrease as Alex uses her powers at night.

_Alexandra, here's Aphrodite's present. It'll show you anything but the future because you can already do that. It's also got a spare. -Apollo._ Alex pulled out two mirrors, both pink, and one was a compact mirror and the other was a hand mirror. Alex thought that it could possibly work two ways. Alex then stuffed the hand mirror into the nightstand drawer.

"Inside my nightstand top drawer." Alex said to the compact mirror. The mirror rippled like water, and then there was a bunch of useless junk Alex kept in that drawer. "Hello?" And then she heard her voice from the drawer. She learned at camp that demigods can't use cellphones...like Alex could afford one.

Alex set aside the mirror. She picked up a small golden box. _Alexandra, here's Demeter's present to you. When in doubt, talk as if Peyton was there. -Apollo_ Alex unwrapped the box, and there was a pair of pink rose earrings she's only seen on television. Alex screamed.

"Sailor Jupiter's earrings!" Alex cried and immediately replaced them in her ears feeling so boss. She didn't really get what her dad meant, but she was so happy she got the earrings a character in her all-time favorite tv show (well, maybe it's tied with Friends).

Alex opened the next gift. _Alexandra, this is Hermes' gift to you when you were born. Just in case you've got a problem you can't unlock. -Apollo._ It looked like a Swiss Army knife. Alex thought she should leave the knives to Peyton. Wow. Alex never thought she'd ever think something like that.

The final golden present was a drawstring bag. _Alexandra, here's Hera's present to hold all your others. -Apollo_. There was another note. _Dear Alexandra, I assume you already have the other gifts. Hephaestus gave you the sword, Zeus gave you Pyro, Poseidon gave you your current Pegasus, and you named her Sky. Hades got you a credit card with endless money, but it disappeared and now it's suddenly in your possession. I think little sis had something to do with it... I gave you your first bow and arrows you currently have. Dionysus says that his gift to you is letting you keep your sanity. I also gave you that heart-shaped golden locket you always wear. -Apollo_.

Alex smiled and folded up the letter neatly and set it on her nightstand. Alex picked through the rest of the pile, all presents from everyone in the orphanage. Grover and Percy even got her something. Grover had gotten her a bouquet of flowers and left a Happy Sweet Sixteen. Percy's present was a lot bigger. She opened it, and it was a brand new red guitar, and the very one Alex had been wanting for months. He left a note.

_Alex, I heard it was your sweet sixteen birthday. I also heard you've been wanting this. I never met you before and we may never meet, but I felt like I should get this guitar for you. Even though I'm trapped here by storm spirits, they don't stop shipping. And it was free too. Haha. This seems creepy and don't worry, I'm creeped out too. But it was just a really strong gut feeling that I should get you a guitar for your birthday. It's your sweet sixteen. You should enjoy it. Sincerely, Percy._ Alex noted his sloppy handwriting. She had pretty bad handwriting herself, but she had dyslexia and ADHD. He probably did too, being a demigod. Alex wasn't really creeped out. Well, she was a little, but she was also touched by his kindness. He got her the greatest present anyone could give Alex, and he didn't even know her. Now she _really_ owed him.

Eh, maybe tomorrow.


	21. Chapter 21

Percy summoned and splashed some ice water over Alex's sleeping face.

"What the heck was that for?!" Alex demanded. Percy saw flames in her eyes that reminded him of the flames of the Underworld.

"I don't know. I was dared to do it." He shrugged.

"Who!? Who dared you!?" Alex grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

"Everyone."

"YOU'RE ALL DEAD!" That's, when Percy ran. He slipped from her grasp and out the bedroom. He ran to the living area, where everyone was laughing their heads off. It all ended when a giant golden beam of light shot out from Alex's bedroom. And then Alex emerged, a lacrosse stick in her hands, looking like a crazed demon.

And then all of the Underworld broke lose. Everyone, including Percy, scattered, screaming and laughing at the same time. Alex chased them, yelling curses. Percy had to admit it was pretty funny. She eventually had beaten everyone except for Peyton, Grover and Thalia who didn't take part in it, and avoided Alex at all costs.

She didn't beat Percy, and he was relieved, and laughed as Alex beat Tyler to the ground, who was the mastermind. But he was laughing. He also had managed to calm Alex down by pulled her down beside him and kissed her. Afterwards, she was pretty giddy.

After witnessing that, Percy missed Annabeth. While Alex was out, he stole one of her drachmas iris-messaged her. She was actually really angry at him, but he couldn't blame her. Apollo had talked to him (thank the gods in English and not haikus) and told him he should stay here until Alex woke and then left without another word. Well, Alex had been sleeping for three days, but Percy had grown friendships with almost everyone.

Except Tyler. He didn't hate Tyler, but he just really rubbed Percy the wrong way. He didn't know what it was and it bugged Percy. Tyler bugged him. Tyler did nothing wrong. He sat by Alex's side protectively, which showed good loyalty. He didn't talk much to Percy, but that doesn't mean he was ignoring him or being mean to him. Seriously, what was it?

Tyler said something to Alex and they got up. Tyler went inside, and Alex walked to the shed to put her lacrosse stick away. Percy followed her.

"Enjoy your rampage?" Percy asked. Alex rolled her eyes. "Why didn't you come after me?"

"Well, you were a victim of peer pressure." She paused and then whacked him with the lacrosse stick before putting it away. Percy cried out in pain, surprised how hard she could hit. Percy realized that she would be a very dangerous opponent, even without her sword or her arrows. She had fists of steel and used whatever was available to her to cause harm, and that could be absolutely anything. "That's for giving into peer pressure and actually doing it."

Percy smiled and Alex went on, "so, I've been wondering. How come you're not dead yet from the storm spirits? Or hurt at all?"

"Oh, it's my Achilles' Curse."

"What curse?" Alex asked, furrowing her brow in confusion.

"The Curse of Achilles. I'm invulnerable to just about anything." Percy replied causally.

"Really?! How do you do that?!" If Alex was invulnerable to everything, then she could protect her loved ones.

"You have to bathe in the River Styx. But to survive that, you need your parents' blessing. When you do that, you have to think of something that ties you to life. Like Annabeth." He smiled at his thought of his girlfriend. He shook his head. "Anyway, you also have to imagine a single spot on your body that will be vulnerable. It has to be a good spot to, like your armpit." Percy explained.

"Armpit?" Alex arched an eyebrow. Then she realized it wasn't a bad idea. Alex froze, and she went very still and very white. Her eyes glazed over and widened.

"Alex?" Percy waved a hand in front of her face. And then her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she crumpled to the ground. Her eyes began to bleed heavily. Immediately, he scooped Alex in his arms and sprinted into the house.

"Thalia!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. She hurried to the back door where Percy stood. She motioned him to follow her. She walked down to the basement and to her bedroom. The DDR tournament quickly ended, and everyone followed Percy and Thalia. Percy laid Alex on her bed, who felt like ice and looked pretty much dead.

Thalia ran out of the room and returned with damp cloths that she wrapped around Alex's eyes, which continued to bleed like Niagara Falls. Percy had a stain on his borrowed t-shirt that Thalia has been letting him borrow. Did he mention that they were Tyler's?

"What's happening?" Percy asked.

"She's having a vision."


	22. Chapter 22

Alex was flying. She sped fast a sign that said "welcome to North Carolina." It was extremely dark, but Alex could see fine. Se accelerated in speed to a point where everything has become blurs. She stops suddenly, her mind still whirling. Alex is in front of an old fashioned castle looking gigantic house.

The scene shifts. Alex looks into a bedroom with yellow and brown walls, a high ceiling, and red furniture. An aged man sat on the daybed. He looked as though he was incredibly handsome when he was young. He looked very...faded. His once tan skin, his once golden eyes, his once platinum blonde hair that could easily belong to Draco Malfoy if it wasn't so faded. He wore faded Greek armor.

Half of the furniture had been cleared against the walls to fit a cherry red Maserati. The man stood up and examined it. Then he scowled.

"That stupid hot-head. If you're going to steal something of mine, then at least keep tradition! He changed my beautiful chariot into this hideous thing! He's ruined the tradition and culture!" He tapped the hood of the car, and it transformed into a golden chariot. He then pulled out a list, and checked something off. "Steal back the sun chariot...check! What's next...wait, where are my horses? I need my sun Pegasi... I guess I'll add that. But how else should I bring that so-called sun god down?" He paced and rubbed his chin. Already, he began to look younger.

"It shattered him when that girl went missing... And he doesn't have my chariot anymore. Maybe a full out attack. I'll also have to get the last ingredient to raise Typhon and get the gods while they're recovering from that stupid war Kronos 'forgot' to invite me to and raise me. I can use Typhon, and to even torture that fraud by killing the missing girl. If only I had her..." He whistled.

A hound appeared. It was the size of a bear, and was a white wolf. Its fur glittered gold when the light hit it. It had golden eyes and claws. Immediately, its fur changed to match the room like it turned invisible. But Alex knew it wasn't invisible because of it still glittered gold in the light. It went to the shadows, but the man gave off a radiance that the wolf couldn't escape.

The man offered it a piece of meat, and it ate it. When it was done, its fur returned to the white. "Good boy, Laelaps. Go find the missing child of Apollo. Catch her, and bring her to me." He commanded. The hound took off after that. Alex began to panic. She was panicking so much, that she was hyperventilating. She was being hunted. She had to get away from the orphanage so they won't be in danger.


	23. Chapter 23

"Alex had been gifted to see into the future, but she's forbidden to tell anyone. We just have to let it run its course and move on as if nothing happened. Act like she didn't have a vision and she will choose how to handle it, whether to act or not." Thalia explained. Everyone cleared out of the room, except Percy and Tyler, who glared at Percy. Tyler held her hand and occasionally stroked her hair And her cheek.

"Will she be okay?" Percy asked. Thalia nodded.

"Alex is strong." Tyler said, probably more for himself. Just then, Alex groaned. She rolled to her side and put a hand over the wash cloths on her face. And then she removed them, revealing her pink eyes in a blood mask. She groaned again. Percy and Tyler were relieved that she was showing signs of life. Thalia has prepared nectar and ambrosia for her. Alex sat up, and Thalia handed her the cup. Alex drank it heartily, and Percy was the only one surprised that a demigod could drink all that nectar without incinerating.

Thalia gave her a large piece of ambrosia, and she ate it, again, not incinerating. After cleaning her eyes, Alex quickly turned on Tyler.

"I say big house in North Carolina." She quickly said. Tyler thought for a moment. Architecture. Annabeth. Percy now missed her even more. Thanks a lot, Sunny.

"Biltmore estate." Tyler replied.

"Right there. That's why I love you." Alex kissed him on the lips and he kissed back a little. Tyler's face got a little red. Alex noticed and giggled and hugged him.

"What about it?" Percy asked. Alex remained silent. It had to do with her vision. She had a vision of the future and it was at that estate. Percy remembered watching the news a few days ago (weird...) and it said that the attraction suddenly closed off out of the blue.

"It might be a nice place to visit." She looked pained when she said it.

"You have to go back to school." Thalia reminded. Alex groaned and fell back on her pillow.

"I hear Alex's voice!" Dina's voice called down the hall and she poked her head in the doorway. "Ready for the annual end of summer bash?"

"What's that?" Percy asked.

"At the end of every summer, we throw this big barbecue party at this lake about a mile up the road. And we top it off with a movie marathon." Alex explained.

"I'm in."

"Don't stay up too late, guys. I'm taking you all to the train station and back to Camp Half-Blood, except for Alex, Peyton, and Tyler. You'll go to school. I bought you tickets and you'll be in New York within a few days." Thalia spoke up. Percy got excited to see Annabeth, but he was also a little disappointed because he'll miss Alex.

"Will you come back next summer?" Percy asked Alex.

"Well, I'd love too. I kind of blew it when I panicked and ran away." Alex said sheepishly. "If I go back, Mr. D will take me to Mt. Olympus so I can do this goddess thing, but I can't because I don't want to leave..." Percy noted the sadness in her tone and eyes. She missed Camp Half-Blood like he did. He couldn't blame her. It was one of the greatest places ever.

"You need a swimsuit?" Alex asked Percy.

"I can't get wet."

"That's impossible."

"Oh, it is, but I'll wear a swimsuit to get with it." Alex looked like she was in deep thought about a big problem. It had to do with her vision. In the Biltmore estate. Something was there and it concerned her. The titans are gone. Or are they?


	24. Chapter 24

Alex hummed to the radio as Dylan drove the pick-up truck up the road. She fought for the front seat, and everyone squeezed to the bed of the truck. Alex managed to squeeze Peyton beside her to give more room on the bed of the truck. Even though the water still terrified Alex and she had no idea how to swim, she wore a white bikini. It was embarrassing for her though to show so much skin where everyone can see her ugly scars so she wore a t-shirt and shorts. Her plan was to help Peyton with the grill.

They arrived at the large lake and everyone climbed out of the truck. Trey brought the old boom box (yes, we're that old school) and some CDs Dante made. Alex and Tyler set up the grill as Macy got out the picnic basket of food. Ashlyn and Brooklyn had set up the picnic blankets because tables are for noobs.

One by one, everyone swung on the rope hanging on the tree and jumped into the water. It turned into a contest of who can make the largest splash. Water boy cheated with his water powers, so Alex threw a rock at him.

"How can I help?" Alex asked Peyton on the grill.

"I don't need any help. You're hopeless at cooking, remember?" Alex hung her head in shame at the truth. Peyton was an excellent chef and Alex burned everything. Literally. Alex helped set up the plates and other utensils. She watched everyone swim in the lake as she kept her distance. The beach ball they tossed around in the water was knocked against Alex. She caught it.

"C'mon, scaredy cat!" Macy called to Alex. She shook her head and tossed the ball back.

"C'mon, sweetie. You'll be fine." Tyler said. "I won't let you drown, and we've got a son of Poseidon too. What about the time you saved me in New York?"

"That was an emergency! You could've drowned!" Alex protested.

"Learning how to swim is extremely important." Peyton chimed in.

"You're a sixteen year old girl who's afraid of a little water! C'mon Alex! Just jump!" Pretty much everyone began to call out to Alex, who protested. She stomped her foot on the ground in a fit of anger. Suddenly, she was lifted off the ground and slung over someone's shoulder. She screamed and flailed around like a spaz as he took off running. Alex struggled to free herself, but he had a strong arm around her waist.

And then Alex could breathe and there was icy wetness around her. She screamed and flailed around in the water, some green plant goop getting caught around her feet and ankles. Alex struggled to free herself and concentrate on her powers, but nothing happened. It seemed to be getting darker. The goop and iciness was disappearing from her touch.

A hand grabbed Alex's arm. That she felt. It triggered the rest of her nerves. She felt her feet brush up against the plant goopy thing and the darkness disappeared. Finally, she could breathe. She saw the sun and began coughing water. And then she saw Percy floating nonchalantly, and he released her arm.

"Percy!" She screamed angrily and started beating him while struggling to keep her head above water. Everyone was laughing at her, including Percy, who created a current that pushed Alex a little more above water so she didn't have such a hard time. The only bad thing is that it was away from Percy so she couldn't beat him up.

Alex crawled out of the water and glared at everything, plotting revenge. Her shirt and shorts were soaking wet and Alex shivered. Alex gave in and took her shirt and shorts off and laid them to dry in the sun.

"I was trying to show you that water's not scary." Percy said. Alex rolled her eyes. "You should really learn how to swim. You'll never know when you need to cross an ocean or swim across a pond."

"When will I need to do that?" Alex asked.

"When a monster attacks you and says, 'cross this pond or I'll kill you.'"

"Okay, first, I'll turn myself invisible and then kill the monster." Percy scowled.

"You've suddenly gotten control of your powers?" He questioned, arching an eyebrow.

"Actually, yes. Somewhat. Thanks to Athena's present." Alex flashed the opal bracelet at Percy.

"What if the monster steals it?"

"Then I fly away and shoot arrows at it."

"What if-"

"Okay I get it! I'll do it!" Alex had caved. Percy grinned in victory and Alex kicked herself for having a weak will. Alex stared at the water.

"Staring at it won't help you learn at all. Use the rope and jumped in. Unless you're too scared." Alex wanted to punch Percy. She sent him dagger looks and then walked over to the rope hanging on the tree. Alex didn't know how sturdy it was. What if it broke while Alex swung on it? Sure, it supported everyone's weight, even Tyler's muscle, but they could've worn it down. And Alex knows that she weighs about as much as a whale...

"I can't jump in." Alex was gripping the rope tightly, her hands trembling. Everyone began to call out and yell at her to just do it. "The rope will break!" This phrase triggered a series of sarcastic remarks. Alex groaned. Finally, she backed up and then ran forward with the rope. She lifted her feet off the ground. At first she felt like she was flying. When the water below her got closer, she didn't let go like she was supposed too and swung back onto the land.

"Alex! Get in the water!" Macy called. Everyone began to yell at her and she scowled.

"Get in the water!" Tyler shouted. Alex raised her eyebrows.

"Are you yelling at me?" Alex demanded. Tyler turned on his charm on for Alex.

"I'm sorry, baby. Would you please get in the water for me?" He smiled innocently. Alex rolled her eyes and would kick him later.

"Just get in the water!" Dina snapped. And then it began again. Tyler, along with everyone else yelled at Alex to get in. Alex backed up and started running again. This time, when she swung forward over the water, she pulled her fingers off the rope. She screamed until she hit the water.

Afterwards, Percy gave Alex swim lessons. She could tell he was a little awkward about it. He never faltered and Alex managed to be somewhat of a decent swimmer by the time Peyton called everyone for some burgers. And it was all without Percy's help with the water control thingy he does.


	25. Chapter 25

After Alex ate majority of the food, they returned to the orphanage where everyone could eat something. As everyone ate, Alex and Peyton went downstairs to change into sweats and a tank top.

"I wish we could have a Sailor Moon marathon or a Friends marathon tonight." Alex complained.

"We did that last year." Peyton pointed out. Alex's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Ohhh! I got a brilliant idea!" Alex cried. "I'll create an illusion of Serena transforming into Sailor Moon and you do all the movements!" Alex laughed and then Peyton joined in.

"Let's do it! Wait, English or Japanese?" Peyton asked.

"Hmm...lets stick to original Japanese."

"You know, I still can't believe ya went through all that trouble to read so you can watch the Sailor Stars season and all the shorts. Okay, and go!" Alex began to work on illusions.

"Moon Cosmic Power, Make-Up!" The Cosmic Heart Compact then affixed itself to Peyton's chest, and she pirouetted in the center of a glowing blue heart. Translucent pink ribbons formed her leotard, gloves, and boots, and then the blue heart dissolved and became her skirt and back bow. A crescent moon glowed on her forehead before being hidden as her tiara appeared, followed by her odango covers and earrings. Peyton as Sailor Moon then finished in her final pose.

Alex and Peyton made squealing noises. Peyton looked int the mirror. Her eyes were still the dark hazel and she ran her fingers through the twin tails Sailor Moon has, but they slipped through and rippled like water.

"This is so cool!" Alex cried. "Oh! Oh! Do Moon Tiara Action!"

"Okay!" Peyton mimicked Sailor Moon and she took off her tiara and it became a golden disc. Peyton spun around. "Moon Tiara Action!" She threw the disc. It hit the wall and dissolved into nothing. But Alex and Peyton laughed.

"Alex, your hands are glowing!"

"Oh, hey, look at that." Alex and Peyton laughed. "They have a tendency to do that..."

"Okay, it's your turn!" With a wave of Alex's hand, the illusion dissolved completely and Peyton was now Peyton in a tank top and yoga pants.

"Moon Cosmic Power, Make-Up!" The Cosmic Heart Compact then affixed itself to Alex's chest, and she pirouetted in the center of a glowing blue heart. Translucent pink ribbons formed her leotard, gloves, and boots, and then the blue heart dissolved and became her skirt and back bow. A crescent moon glowed on her forehead before being hidden as her tiara appeared, followed by her odango covers and earrings. Alex as Sailor Moon then finished in her final pose.

"You see, you look more like Sailor Moon. The hair, the eyes!" Peyton squealed. Alex gave herself a once over and looked in the mirror. She knew under the gloves her hands glowed. "Now you try Moon Tiara Action!" Alex took off her golden tiara and it turned into a golden disc.

"Moon Tiara Action!" She threw the golden disc like a frisbee and it dissolved against the wall. "Ohhh! I'll try Moon Spiral Heart Attack! Moon Spiral Heart Attack!" Alex spun around at a very rapid rate, then stopped and held the Spiral Heart Moon Rod up in the air. Energy was released from it in the form of spiraling pink hearts, which dissolved when it hit the walls.

"Can you make yourself Super Sailor Moon?" Peyton asked.

"Are you doubting my skill?" Alex asked.

"Not at all!" Alex and Peyton laughed again. With a wave of Alex's hand, her outfit had changed to match Super Sailor Moon's complete with the barrettes.

"We are living the dream." Alex said. "Let's not tell anyone this. They already make fun of us for being such nerds."

"Aren't we, though?"

"Yeah, but they annoy me. I don't want to add any more fuel to the fire." Peyton and Alex shrugged. Alex waved her hand and created the illusion that Peyton was Super Sailor Moon.

"Yay!" Peyton squealed.

"Try Rainbow Moon Heart Ache!" Alex suggested.

"Rainbow Moon Heart Ache!" Peyton spun around at a very rapid rate, then stopped on her knees and held the Spiral Heart Moon Rod up in the air. Energy was released from it in the form of spiraling big pink hearts, which dissolved when it hit the walls. Peyton lost her balance and fell back, but she caught herself with her free hand. She giggled. "Awesome! But how can you keep your balance?"

"Remember the ballet I used to do?" Peyton nodded.

"Why did you quit again?" She asked as she stood up.

"The explosion..." Alex froze and paled after she said that. A few years ago at Alex's ballet recital, there was a sudden explosion and Alex was perfectly fine. Many were killed. A gut feeling told Alex she had something to do with it. She could have stopped it because she had a vision about it. Now that Alex thinks about it, she really did cause that explosion...how? She doesn't know.

Alex shook her head. "Lets try Moon Gorgeous Meditation!"

"You first!"

Alex created the illusion of Pegasus appearing and Alex as Sailor Moon held the Kalidomoon scope. She posed several times. She drew the Kaildomoon scope back. "Moon Gorgeous Meditation!" She thrusted it forward and there were many sparkles and rainbows and white shards flying everywhere, dissolving against the walls.

And against Percy's chest.

Peyton yelped and then shook herself, dissolving her illusion. Unfortunately, Alex kind of froze on the spot in embarrassment. Percy laughed.

"Percy! How dare you!" Alex hissed. The whole illusion ended.

"Everyone wants to start the movies now." He said, still chuckling to himself. Alex quickly grabbed him by the shirt collar.

"Tell anyone about this, and I will kill you in your sleep." She threatened. He chuckled.

"Okay, Alex." Alex released him, but kept a glare. Peyton pushed Alex out the door and to the main living area where everyone awaited. Alex snuggled next to Tyler on her beanbag chair, where he naturally wrapped his arms around her. Percy went upstairs to Iris-message Annabeth and Chiron.

"Okay, everyone. Lets begin the horror movie marathon." Dante popped a DVD in the DVD player. Alex shot up.

"What movie marathon?!" Alex cried.

"I picked horror just for you." Dante said, grinning.

"Dante! You know I _hate_ horror!"

"Correction. You're _terrified_ of horror." Dylan corrected.

"And bees."

"And snakes."

"And any kind of reptiles really." Tyler chimed in.

"I am not!" Alex protested. "I'm very allergic to bees!" She whined.


	26. Chapter 26

"Hey, Percy!" Dante came up the stairs and approached him and his iris-message with Annabeth.

"Who's that?" Annabeth asked.

"Annabeth, this is Dante. He's been claimed by Hephaestus. And Dante, this is Annabeth." Percy introduced.

"Heyy." Dante flashed a smile and checked her out. Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"Percy, you have to go downstairs soon. It's getting good and Alex is about to lose it. Alex will freak, but if you scare her during that, she'll pee herself. It'll be hilarious!"

"Why don't you?" Percy asked.

"She knows my footsteps too well."

"I don't know..." Percy said.

"Aw, c'mon. You can't miss this. It'll be so funny. You know you want to." Dante said persuasively. Percy sighed, knowing he was right.

"Alright. I'll be right back." Percy walked downstairs.

"Girlllll, you better have a license." Dante said to Annabeth. She arched an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"'Cause you're driving me crazy with your beauty." He grinned and nodded. She rolled her eyes.

* * *

Alex was on the verge of tears. They were in the middle of the first one, and she was already cracking. She often buried her face in Tyler's chest and peeked at the screen.

"What the heck is wrong with this dog?!" Alex whispered to Tyler. "I seriously hope this dog dies..." Alex stuffed her mouth with extra buttery popcorn. Tyler rose to go to the bathroom and Alex gripped the blanket tightly, praying he'd be back soon.

Alex screamed at the next part of the movie. But suddenly, a figure yelled and jumped out of no where and tackled Alex. Alex screamed at the top of her lungs and spazzed out. Everyone started laughing at her and Alex spilled all of the popcorn.

It was Percy. Of course.

"Percy!" She screamed and pounded on him. He laughed so hard he rolled off the beanbag chair. Alex tackled him and pinned him to the ground and sat on him. She started to pound his head and chest and everything with her fists and the bowl.

"Alex!" Tyler wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her off. Percy's nose was bleeding but he was laughing.

"He almost made me pee myself!"

"So close..." Percy muttered and he got up. Peyton got him some tissues and he went back upstairs. He passed by Dante, who fist-pumped him and Dante also held a camera. "So freaking worth it." Percy said.


	27. Chapter 27

"Some nights I stay up cashing in my bad luck. Some nights, I call it a draw." Alex sang. "Some nights, I wish my lips could build a castle. Some nights, I wish they'd just fall off. But I still wake up, I still see your ghost. Oh, Lord I'm still not sure what I stand for ohhh! What do I stand for? What do a stand for? Most nights, I don't know... Oh, whoaaaa. Oh, whoaaa! Oh, whoaa!" Alex drummed her hands on the steering wheel, jamming out to f.u.n with her awesome Ray Bans.

It was about ten in the morning. Alex had to get to the Biltmore estate to stop the man. And Alex was a target. She couldn't put anyone in danger. "This is it, boys, this is war - what are we waiting for? Why don't we break the rules already? I was never one to believe the hype - save that for the black and white. I try twice as hard and I'm half as liked, but here they come again to jack my style."

Alex had to run away. She left when everyone crashed around two in the morning and has been driving like a madwoman ever since listening to the CDs she stole from Dante and everyone in the orphanage. She missed Tyler terribly and considered turning this car around several times. She shook her head. No. She was a target. He could get hurt. The sky was extremely dark with what Alex thought was storm clouds. Alex wondered if it'll storm or not.

"And that's alright; I found a martyr in my bed tonight. She stops my bones from wondering just who I am, who I am, who I am. Oh, who am I? mmm... mmm..."

She was in the middle of no where and cornfields. Alex just followed the signs that looked the closest like North Carolina. She had made the cab invisible in case of monsters. She kept a Nokia phone on her and even though it was never used and it off, she was still worried that the phone would attract monsters.

The Nokia phone was Tyler's Valentine's Day present to Alex. He left a note that said: _My darling Alex, A rose is a very sucky symbol of love. I know it's your favorite flower, but roses wilt and die. I will not give you roses or any kind of flowers at all. Because our love is forever! So here's a Nokia phone._

"Well, some nights, I wish that this all would end. Cause I could use some friends for a change. And some nights, I'm scared you'll forget me again. Some nights, I always win, I always win..." When Alex sang, two voices had joined in. She screamed and turned to the backseat, where Percy and Grover emerged from the floor of it.

"The road, Alex!" Grover reminded. Alex had swerved to the other lane, but she jerked the car so violently that Percy and Grover slammed against the right door. She slammed on the brakes and there was an explosion from under the hood. Alex had a feeling that it was her surprise and anger that made it explode.

"What are you guys doing?!" Alex cried, turning back on them again. She then started swearing like a sailor. Percy and Grover waited until she was done.

"We picked up that something was wrong and it had to do with your vision and the Biltmore estate." Grover explained.

"We thought you would try to sneak off and handle it yourself so we tagged along." Percy added.

"I _can_ handle it myself!" Alex hissed. "I don't need your help!" Percy rolled his eyes. Alex groaned and then got out of the car. She looked under the hood and examined the engine. Unfortunately, she had no idea how to fix the engine. Percy and Grover got out and stood next to Alex. "Any of you guys know how to fix this?"

They shook their heads. Alex scowled. "Maybe I can do what Stitch does and just play with the wires and it'll magically start. Alex walked to the drivers door, but the car shook. Alex stopped. It moved like someone was inside. Alex peered inside the windows, but the only thing there was a bag which Alex assumed it belonged to Percy and Grover. The car "moved" again. Percy and Grover noticed this too.

Alex opened the passenger door and pulled out her draw string bag. She opened it and reached in. She felt everything she stuffed in there, even though some of the things are too large for a normal drawstring bag and a normal drawstring bag wouldn't hold all her useless crap. Finally, she grabbed her last minute piece of crap and pulled it out.

"A tire iron?" Percy asked.

"Just in case." Alex winked. She then opened the trunk and struck down with her tire iron. A hand grabbed it and Alex screamed.

"Are you trying to kill me?" Tyler emerged from the shadows and let go of the tire iron. Peyton climbed out from behind Tyler, followed by Macy.

"You two came too?" Grover asked Peyton and Tyler.

"Wherever she goes, I go." Tyler wrapped his arm protectively around Alex's waist. Alex felt her face getting hot.

"What do you mean by that? You brought Macy with you?" Alex demanded.

"Her name's on the list. Not her last name. I assume Hermes did that on purpose. But why? I have no idea." Percy explained.

"What list? Let me see it." She glared at Percy. How could Percy put Macy in danger like that? Percy handed Alex a slip of paper with several names on it written in golden ink. Macy's name was on it. The only Macy, but not Macy Castellan.

"What is this for?"

"Hermes asked me to personally escort all of his children to Camp Half-Blood." Percy replied.

"You met my dad?" Macy asked.

"He's the famous Percy Jackson. Of course he's met Hermes. He's probably met all of them." Alex muttered. Percy rolled his eyes and Tyler kissed Alex's head.

"So what'd ya do to the car?" Peyton asked.

"Alex made the engine explode." Percy said bluntly.

"That's because normal people get freaked out when two boys appear in the backseat and singalong with you!" Alex snapped. She pulled away from Tyler and walked around to the drivers side of the car.

"You know, you have a great voice. You should sing more often." Percy spoke up.

"She sang with the rest of the Apollo cabin in the singalong at camp. She even lead one a few times." Tyler replied.

"That's because Will 'hurt his throat.' What a bunch of bologna." Alex grumbled. She opened the drivers door and climbed under the wheel.

"You should've heard Alex and Will harmonize! It was so beautiful!" Peyton exclaimed cheerfully. Percy chuckled.

"What the heck are you doin'?" Macy nudged Alex's foot that stuck out. "Stitch starts cars up by touching some wires together. Maybe it'll work when I do it." Alex simply responded.

"That was a movie." Macy reminded. Alex shrugged and pulled two wires down. She touched the two ends together and sparks flew. Macy backed away and there was a mini explosion.

"Alex?" Tyler rushed to her side. Alex climbed out, unharmed.

"Yeah. The car won't start. Thanks a lot, Percy and Grover." Alex glared at them, and Grover looked a little scared.

"Now what?" Peyton asked.

"There's a town a few miles ahead." Tyler chimed in. Macy stretched.

"Let's go. I'm so stiff." Macy started walking forward. Alex grabbed her bag and tossed Percy's bag at him. Everyone began to follow but Alex formed a ball at her feet and began to fly.

"That's cheating!" Macy called.

"You're just jealous." Alex called back. Alex noticed the strangest things running in the cornfield. Wolves. Alex flew over and landed near them, prompting everyone to call after her. Slowly, Alex followed the running wolves. They slowed down, and Alex approached them cautiously. The alpha came towards Alex. She reached out her hand. The wolf sniffed it and then began to lick it, showing its sharp fangs. But Alex wasn't scared. It was natural. She began to scratch the wolf behind the ears and under the chin.

"Alex! Where are you?!" Voices called. They were searching for her. A white wolf barked. The wolf Alex was petting then took off.

"Guys! This way!" Alex called and she sprinted after the wolves. Soon, Alex found Macy running beside her. They exchanged glances and both laughed.

"So why are we running?" Macy asked.

"We're following the wolves." Alex replied.

"Tyler said we are going the opposite way of civilization." Macy said.

"Oh well." Alex shrugged. When she and Macy looked ahead, they didn't realize how far they had ran. The wolves had slowed the the entrance of a cave. Percy, Grover, Tyler, and Peyton arrived shortly afterwards, all out of breath like Alex, but Macy was completely fine.

Inside the cave was a group of girls that began communicating with the wolves. They all had a silvery aura around them. They all wore a white shirt, silver jacket, silvery camo pants and black combat boots. They seemed to have made a pretty good camp site too.

One of them rose. She was about Alex's age and height and had short, spiky black hair, electric blue eyes. She had a circlet tiara thingy on her head and had skull earrings and a spiked belt.

"Hey, Thalia. Didn't think to find you here." Percy said.


	28. Chapter 28

So there's this chick named Thalia Grace. Annabeth mentioned her several times at camp. They seemed to be good friends. Thalia was nice, but she seemed to have intimidated Peyton. Already, Thalia and Percy got into a fight. Somehow Tyler got into it too. Alex didn't even know what it was about, but they fought like siblings did, based on the fights Alex saw and fought with in the orphanage. Peyton disapproved of Alex and Macy finding some amusement in this. Grover just seemed used to it.

"Who in the Hades are you?" Thalia suddenly demanded to Macy.

"I'm Macy." Macy replied causally. Alex heard the amusement in her tone. Thalia studied her.

"Macy Castellan." Thalia spoke.

"How did you..." Macy studied her too. "You look familiar...have we met?" Macy then gasped. "You were that chick that we ran away with!"

"You were the chick we dropped off at Luke's grandmother's house. You're Luke's little sister."

"Shouldn't you be..." Macy did the math in her head. "Twenty-one by now?"

"Well, I got turned into a tree for a period of time...and now I'm a lieutenant of Artemis, making me eternally young." Thalia said causally. Alex heard that story around camp. But Macy's eyes grew as big as dinner plates.

"You were a tree?!"

"Long story." Thalia rounded on Alex, Peyton, and Tyler. "Who are you three?"

"Tyler Blackstone." Tyler grumbled.

"Peyton Greenly."

"And I'm Alex Robinson. Nice to meet you." Alex and Thalia shook hands.

"Nice to meet you too." Alex looked at the rest of the girls, Hunters of Artemis, Alex found out. Something caught her eye outside of the cave. Alex's old freak of a friend, the hydra. And it came right at them. No one seemed to notice the monster approach them. Alex began to feel lazy, so she just drew Golden Piacere. She released golden arrows at it, startling everyone.

"Company." Alex motioned to the hydra that was getting closer. All of the hunters rose then, and suddenly had silver bows. They all drew back arrows with Alex, and the sky was suddenly filled with silver arrows and the occasional golden one from Alex.

They slowed down the hydra, but it got closer. Percy drew Riptide, Tyler his sword, Peyton drew her knife and Grover pulled out his reed pipes. But Macy surprised Alex when she drew a long spear.

"Courtesy of Aunt Thalia." Thalia looked at Macy. "The Thalia of the Nine Muses." Alex knew she surprised Thalia and the hunters when she put her bow and arrows away as drumsticks into her boots and she flew directly towards the hydra. Alex accelerated and her body began to glow. She crashed into the body of the hydra and there was an explosion. Alex recoiled back and she wobbled on her feet.

She knew she couldn't cut off any heads. Pyro had incinerated it. Pyro's not here. Alex remembered something Aunt Thalia mentioned to her before. "It seems like you've bonded with the Phoenix. Phoenixes like to roam on their own, but he'll always come to you." Alex whistled. No Pyro. Alex could incinerate the hydra. But right now, all of the heads came at her at once.

Alex dodged, and she summoned a ball of light and threw it at it. She did this several times, alternating with light and fire. Her powers seemed weaker. Alex wondered if it had to with the darkness.

Everyone had arrived shortly after.

"I thought you incinerated it!" Tyler called to Alex.

"Me too!" Alex watched sparks fly. Alex noticed Thalia, who was channeling lightning through her arrows. Daughter of Zeus. Right. Alex drew Crescendo and slashed at the hydra's legs.

Macy actually wielded her spear really well. The handle can be broken down into numerous pieces, connected by a chain, allowing her to attack or defend over a wide area. The chain runs along the handle, ending in a heavy ball at the blunt side. She was extremely fast too. She slashed at the whole thing, and its heads were trying to get her, but they kept knocking into each other.

It began to spit acid. Like, all heads at once decided it'd be cool to spit acid. Alex quickly formed golden chains in her hands and pulled everyone behind her. She then threw her hands above her and a giant golden disc appeared. It blocked the acid. And then she threw the disc at the hydra. Unfortunately, with an explosion, it cut off three heads, six more growing in place.

"Aw, c'mon." Alex scowled. "I need the hydra to hold still!" Peyton had heard her. Suddenly, all of the crops around the swarmed the hydra. The hunters sent arrows that had a rope attached to it and pinned the other end in the ground. Soon, the hydra was struggling against rope and crops. It got really angry and started spitting as much acid as it could.

Alex then summoned a great beam of fire like a flamethrower and lit up the hydra. The hunters shot flaming arrows. Everyone backed away, and then Alex conjured up an explosion.

"Alex!" She heard Tyler call. Alex emerged from the smoke. Water came down. Alex didn't know if it was rain or waves Percy magically conjured up. Alex put Crescendo away.

"Alex." Macy said. "Your hands are still on fire." Alex looked down at her hands.

"Hey, what do you know?" She shook them, and they were out. "So. Who's hungry?" Alex asked.


	29. Chapter 29

Thalia requested cheeseburgers and after the world's longest walk, they had reached the small town. There, they got some cheeseburgers. Alex was buying.

"So you already slain the hydra?" Percy asked. Alex nodded.

"Maybe there's more than one." Peyton suggested. Thalia shook her head.

"No. Something's wrong." Thalia said.

"It's probably in North Carolina. That's where you were going, right, Alex?" Tyler asked.

"What's wrong with North Carolina?" Thalia asked, taking a bite of her cheeseburger.

"Alex had a vision. Tell them about it." Macy said. Alex paled and felt the sharp pain.

"Well, I-"

"Do not say anything!" Thalia snapped quickly, startling Alex.

"Why? What's wrong?" Tyler asked. Thalia's eyes were suddenly filled with pain and sadness.

"After we dropped Macy off at her grandmother's, Luke and I met this man...his name was Halcyon Green and he was a son of Apollo. He could see into the future and he saw that this girl will die in a car accident. So Hal told her about it. Apollo was so angry, that he cursed Halcyon. He forced Halcyon to wear the skin of the python to remind him that he wasn't an oracle. Apollo stripped him of his voice an locked him inside a mansion where leucrotae guarded it. The leucrotae spoke for him and kept Halcyon alive for bait for other demigods who would look for treasure. It was a way for Apollo to remind him that his voice will lead others to their doom. Then, he'd keep the eaten demigods' supplies. Hal got us out alive by sacrificing himself and killing the leucrotae with Greek fire. That's where Luke got Annabeth's knife and where I got Aegis." When Thalia was done, Alex had lost it and started sobbing.

"That's just...so...awful..." Alex sobbed. She tried to hold it back, but she couldn't.

"And I guessed that you're a child of Apollo." Thalia added. Alex nodded.

"You know, you're the first one I've met that wields a sword as well as a bow. You're also one of the few girls too."

"It's just Kayla and I at Camp." Alex said. Alex then composed herself and wiped her face with a napkin.

"I'm sorry... I don't know what came over me."

"Nah, it's cool. I'd like to invite you to join the hunters." Thalia spoke, changing the subject. She looked at Alex, Macy, and Peyton.

"Really? Why?" Alex asked.

"Well, you're an excellent archer. You have extraordinary powers. And you're a girl." Thalia explained. The rest of the hunters nodded in agreement.

"Hmmm. It seems really cool. Sure, I'll join." Alex said.

"That means you have to dump Mr. Perfect Boyfriend." Percy said smugly. Alex's eyes widened and looked from Percy to Thalia, who nodded.

"No boys."

"Aww. Do we have to tell anyone?" Alex smiled innocently.

"Sorry. No boys." Thalia looked at Macy and Peyton.

"I'll think about it." Macy simply responded.

"I think I'll pass. Thanks for the offer, but its not...me." Peyton smiled sweetly. Thalia nodded.

"So what are you doing around here?" Percy asked.

"Artemis has this gift. Laelaps is a hound that always catches its prey. It's missing now so we have to find it. And keep our eyes out for the Teumessian fox. We can't catch the Teumessian fox because it can never be caught." Thalia replied.

"Go to North Carolina." Alex quickly said. She gave Thalia a look. Thalia immediately understood and nodded.

"We'll head up there." After that, Alex and Thalia just chatted about random stuff. She was every easy to talk to. Alex learned that Thalia had a good heart and cared about people. Alex liked Thalia. She was a good person. When they left the burger place, they decided to go their separate ways, but keep in touch.

"Lemme know if you want to be a hunter. You'd be really useful." Thalia gave Alex and Macy a business card.

"It was great seeing you again." Thalia smiled at Percy and Grover. "And it was great to meet you four. Keep in touch." With that, Thalia and the hunters turned and walked away.

"Hey, Thalia!" Macy called. Thalia stopped and turned around. Macy rushed up to Thalia. "I think I'll accept your offer."

"Macy, are you sure?" Alex asked.

"Yes. I'm sure. I want to be a Hunter of Artemis. I've been stuck in that stinky orphanage and I know I'm too old to get adopted and have a family. But I feel like this is that family that I'll get adopted into. Alex, I want to thank you for taking me under your wing at the orphanage. But now, I think I found that this is where I truly belong. I want to serve Artemis." Macy explained.

Alex remembered the day Aunt Thalia brought Macy home to the orphanage. Although Macy was a teenager, Alex viewed her like a lost little girl. Macy was depressed and cold, which was understandable. Her grandmother was recently diagnosed with alzheimer's disease and her mom was insane. Alex knew Macy felt so alone, even though she acted tough. Alex never left Macy alone. She worked hard to make Macy happy and feel better.

And now, Macy was now the teenager she was. Alex felt like a mom to her. Alex finally saw in Macy's eyes that she was truly happy and an adult. Alex nodded.

"You'd be a great hunter." Alex's eyes got a little watery. Suddenly, a young girl appeared. She has auburn colored hair and eyes as silvery yellow as the moon, and is incredibly beautiful. Alex was immediately jealous.

"Artemis." Thalia gasped.

"Hello, girls." She smiled warmly and turned to Macy. "You wished to join my Hunt?" Macy nodded. "Well then, you'll have to recite this oath: I pledge myself to the Goddess Artemis. I turn my back on the company of men, Accept eternal maidenhood, And join the Hunt."

"I pledge myself to the Goddess Artemis. I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt." Macy repeated.

"Then I, Artemis, accept you into my Hunt." Artemis touched Macy's head and Macy then had a silvery aura like the rest of them. "I'll leave her in your care, Thalia."

"Yes, my goddess." Thalia bowed her head.

"I'll be on my way-"

"Excuse me." Alex quickly cut the goddess off. "I'm sorry for cutting you off like that, Aunt Artemis, but I wanted to apologize to you. For taking your wallet."

"It wasn't even mine. It was yours and you did the right thing for your friends." Artemis replied.

"But I still feel guilty." The goddess giggled.

"Don't. I'm glad we've found you. Stay out of trouble." She turned back to the Hunters. "I've told you to look for my hound, Laelaps, but something's come up and it's all hands on deck."

"What is it?" Thalia asked.

"The Sun Chariot's been stolen. My idiotic brother is threatening war and is accusing everyone for stealing it. No one's really taking him seriously, but they will if he goes on a stupid rampage or something." Artemis said glumly.

"I think the Biltmore estate has a Maserati." Alex quickly spoke up. The pain in her side became sharper. She winced. "And maybe even-ow!" The pain in her side grew more painful.

"Are you okay?" Grover asked. Alex nodded.

"Fine...never mind what I said." The pain lessened. Artemis was studying Alex.

"Alright. You have your orders. I have to go deal with that big fiery ball of gas." Alex snorted.

"I just got that." Artemis scowled and then disappeared as quickly as she had came. It was funny. Apollo was the sun god, and the sun is a big fiery ball of gas. Haha.

"Wait, Alex." Thalia called and rushed up to her. She shoved an old black diary into Alex's hands. "It was Hal's. He gave it to Luke, but Luke gave it to me. Now I think you should have it. You're in it." Alex slipped it in her drawstring bag. Afterwards, everyone said their goodbyes once more and went their separate ways.

"So, should I just get us another car at the dealership and drive us the rest of the way to North Carolina?" Alex suggested.

"No!" Everyone cried.

"Why not?" Alex demanded.

"You're a terrible driver, sweetie." Tyler said bluntly. "Take drivers Ed first." Alex scowled.

"You drive like a sissy!" Alex shot back.

"Alex, you drive as bad as Thalia the time she got to drive the Sun Chariot. She flipped out because she's afraid of heights and she scorched New England."

"If she's afraid of heights, then why in Hades was she driving the Sun Chariot?" Alex asked.

"She was almost sixteen and the daughter of Zeus. And Apollo thought she was pretty." Percy replied. Alex scowled. She was jealous that she couldn't drive the Sun Chariot. But whatever. After what she heard about her half-brother, she resented Apollo.

"Let's just find a place to crash and we'll go from there." Alex rubbed her temples. They walked to the local inn, but before Alex entered, she stopped. In the moonlight, she saw gold glitter against the building. Alex paled.

"Run! Don't follow me!" She yelled and she took off as fast as she could.


	30. Chapter 30

They followed her anyway. The hound, Laelaps, had come out of its disguise and dashed after Alex. Everyone drew their weapons. Alex didn't. She just needed to escape. Laelaps wanted her. But she had a gut feeling that everyone else might get hurt.

Alex flew up and shot a beam of light from her hands, wiping the others away. The hound jumped to incredible heights and tried to get at Alex. Alex dodged, but the dog seemed to run in midair like on land. Alex scowled and flew away, dodging every tackle of the dog. It slashed at her feet, and Alex went down.

Alex had a running landing. She tripped, but kept on going. The hound followed her closely. Alex looked at her watch. She still had some lunar energy she could convert to solar energy. She summoned an energy ball and chucked it at the dog. It hit, and there was a mini explosion. When Alex looked back, it was still on her heels.

Alex ran into an alley and shoved everything in the dog's way like trash bins and boxes. The hound plowed through it all. Alex reached a giant fence. She jumped up and used the golden ball of light to push her all the way over and land quickly and safely. The hound jumped the fence and tore after her.

She got a sudden idea and willed herself to turn invisible. She saw the opal bracelet glow, and then disappear with the rest of her body. Alex stopped running and held her breath. The hound growled and sniffed the ground. Then, it raised its head and it was two inches away from her face.

Quickly and silently, Alex side-stepped. Laelaps' head followed. Alex quickly moved around Laelaps and she neared the fence. Its head followed her movements and bared its sharp teeth at Alex. Slowly, Laelaps got closer to the point where she could feel its warmth and breath.

Without warning, Laelaps pounced forward, aiming for Alex. Alex had ducked and the hound made a hole in the fence. Alex took off then, as silently as she could. The hound made a u-turn by running up the wall and then jumping down behind Alex. Alex groaned.

"Great." In front of her was a wall. She summoned the ball of light and flew over the hound, which ran after her in the sky as if it was running on the ground. Alex flew in every direction, but the hound could still find her and nearly bit her head off every time.

Finally, Alex formed the chains in her hands (even though she intended for a ball of light) and whipped them out at Laelaps. It wrapped around its legs and body, immobilizing it. It barked and wiggled furiously, trying to free itself. Alex had to take it to the hunters. She flew across the small town back to the cave that the hunters had set up camp in.

Laelaps squirmed and shattered the golden chains into nothing. Before Alex could react, it tackled her onto the cold ground of the corn fields. She struggled against it. With a swift punch, she hit the hound in the jaw and quickly drew her sword. The dog tried to bite her face off, but she blocked it with her sword, getting drool all over it. With as much strength as she could, she shoved the hound off her and scrambled away like a spaz.

She was tackled again by Laelaps and her sword went flying off somewhere into the night. Alex screamed and tried to free herself or protect herself. She intentionally summoned a ball of fire, but instead she got another golden chain. Whatever. Alex whipped it at Laelaps' muzzle but it opened its mouth and the chain shattered.

Suddenly, the world's biggest fox had tackled Laelaps. Its fur looked like black and white camouflage. It was smaller than the hound, but much larger than a normal fox. The fox knocked the hound away and turned to Alex, who had gotten to her feet and she ran away screaming. The fox followed her and grabbed her by the shirt. Without even a single rip, the fox threw Alex up into the air and she landed on the fox's back.

"I need to go back to town." Alex said. The fox understood like Alex had hoped. It picked up speed and the hound wasn't anywhere in sight. It suddenly appeared in the sky, getting closer, claws and teeth bared, aiming for Alex and the fox. The fox went even faster, if that was possible, and the hound had missed. Alex realized that the fox had turned herself and itself invisible. Thank the gods, she might be saved.

Alex had re-arrived in the town riding a fox like a horse. Alex had spotted her friends, who had reunited with the hunters, looking distraught and their weapons drawn. Alex pointed to them awkwardly, and the fox began to approach them.

"Remember the story about how Laelaps, the hound that was destined to catch its prey, was sent to catch the Teumessian fox, the fox that could never be caught?" Thalia asked.

"No." Percy replied. Thalia sighed.

"Well, that happened and because it was a paradox, Zeus turned them into stone." Thalia explained.

"We are dyslexic demigods, Thalia." Tyler said.

"We don't know what the Hades is a paradox." Percy finished. Thalia groaned in annoyance. Suddenly, there was growling. The hound, Laelaps, jumped out of no where onto Alex and the Teumessian fox. Luckily, the fox dodged and shoved its way through the group of demigods plus one satyr. Laelaps bounded after the fox, knocking the rest of the unknocked demigods to the ground.

"And that, my friends, was Laelaps." Thalia said. "Let's go, hunters."

"But what about the force before it?" Macy asked.

"Alex. She can create the illusion of invisibility." Tyler explained.

"Why would Laelaps be after Alex?" Peyton asked.

"I don't know. If we don't recapture that hound, Alex is screwed." Thalia replied.

Alex didn't know how she should feel. According to the story, Zeus turned these animals into stone. It made her feel relieved, but also guilty because this fox was saving her butt big time. But what if he didn't, this time? What if this goes on forever? Already this had been going on for about an hour or so (Alex didn't know what time it was but it felt like forever). What if the fox decides to ditch her somewhere?

Alex gripped onto the fur on the neck of the fox. She was definitely relieved that her friends were okay. But she still has to get to North Carolina to get Apollo's chariot back. She may resent him, but she was the only one who could get it back. Wow. Talk about pressure.

Alex looked at her surroundings. It was all a blur, but she noticed a garbage can turn to rock. A warning. Laelaps still tried to tackle and pounce on Alex and the fox, but missed every single time. It tried coming in from all angles, but could never get ahead of them.

This time, a bird dropped from the sky made of stone. Warning number two. Alex gulped. History was repeating itself. Her hands started to tremble.

And then warning number three struck.


	31. Chapter 31

Despite being so faraway, everyone else had seen what had happened. Zeus was upset about this paradox. First, it was a trash bin. Next, it was a bird. Peyton screamed and almost cried for the poor creature, but Macy pulled her forward after Laelaps. Macy tried using her spear to catch Laelaps, but she missed. Same thing happened to the hunters' arrows with the silver rope at the end of it.

Everyone could not keep up with Laelaps and the Teumessian fox. They had to keep going to save Alex, but it was next to impossible. Peyton had the earth and plants turn against Laelaps, but it didn't stop it at all from going after its prey. The stupid hound could even fly!

The hunters finally resorted to using arrows to shoot it down. They were desperate to save Alex. But their arrows just bounced off its stupid fur. Even speedy Macy couldn't keep up, but she got closer than the others, just not close enough.

Thalia knew that her dad would turn the two creatures to stone to end this very soon. But the "blast" to turn the fox had an interference. Alex. She took the blow and was turned to stone. She had suddenly reappeared fully visible and stone, sliding off the Teumessian fox. The fox had run off, but Laelaps had stopped to examine Alex.

Everyone had stopped dead in their tracks. A few screams and gasps had escaped. Thalia was on the verge of tears, but Peyton and Macy had already beaten her.

"Please...no..." Thalia tilted her head up to the sky. "Please...please...fix her..." She begged quietly. There was no response from Zeus. Thalia put on the bravest face she could and silently approached the stillness.

Laelaps seemed to have pick Alex up by the shirt collar that has been turned to stone. Her face wasn't shocked or scared. It still had the fire blazing in her eyes and her face was full of determination, yet uncertainty.

Finally, Laelaps ran into the night, carrying the stone Alex away like she weighed nothing. The first one to charge was Tyler and Percy, their faces full of pure anger and determination. Everyone else followed and still did their best to stop Laelaps, even though they were too late, and Alex had paid the price.


	32. Chapter 32

It seemed like years later. Alex woke up in a bedroom. She was sore and stiff. The lower half of her body was immobilized completely. In fact, it was stone. But slowly, it began to disappear. Alex unclenched her jaw and she cried out in the pain from the stiffness. Slowly, she touched the stone part of her leg, at the same time she tried to uncurl her fingers.

Zeus had turned her to stone. Alex was furious. What did she ever do? She was the victim! When she was fully de-stoned, she looked around and screamed. She was here. Inside the very bedroom that she had seen in her vision. The bedroom the man was in. But the Sun Chariot wasn't there.

Alex then bolted for the door, but she stumbled and fell flat on her face. She cried out in pain from her stiffness. She forced herself to her feet and unlocked her knees. She groaned and then stumbled forward, but kept her balance. She straightened her back, but there was a loud crack! She slumped her shoulders and she began to pushed the doors open.

This mansion was truly amazing. Alex was in awe, but she knew Annabeth and Tyler would just go nuts and go on and on about this. Alex noted that it seemed like a big blend of Victorian style and Roman and Greek style. Jeez. Alex needs to stop hanging out with Annabeth and Tyler. She's becoming a nerd.

Alex got lost three times. She didn't even know where she was going, but she couldn't find the Sun Chariot anywhere. Or the man. Or any monsters. It seemed a little easy, as in no traps or obstacles in her path.

What seemed like forever later, Alex found herself standing in a room full of tapestries. The man from her vision was there, drinking something in a tea cup, and examining each tapestry. Alex drew her sword. He now looked incredibly young, maybe a few years older than Alex herself.

"Where's the chariot?" Alex demanded. "Hand it over and I'll let you go unharmed." The man laughed at her.

"But I still haven't gotten any horses to pull it." He said simply.

"You've got five seconds to hand it over before I bring you down." She hissed. He chuckled. "Five."

"You're adorable."

"Four."

"Acting so tough."

"Three." He smirked. He had no weapon. She's going to tie him up and then take him to Olympus when she returns the Sun Chariot. "Two." He did nothing. "One." Nothing. "Zero."

Alex summoned golden chains of light at him. Without even flinching, he waved his hands and the chains turned on Alex. They suddenly wrapped around her wrists and ankles. Shackles formed around her wrists and ankles connected to the chain. A golden dog collar formed around Alex's neck with the chain for a leash. The man held the chains like a puppet master.

Alex struggled against the chains and tried to regain control. They actually burned Alex to the point where she cried out in pan. She grabbed her sword and slashed at the chain, but it didn't break. Alex was yanked to the ground and was dragged forward. She gripped the chains and lit them on fire. The fire spread up to the man, and he seems to have absorbed it like a sponge. So he's a puppet master who is also a fire-absorbing sponge.

Alex summoned more light into her hands and sent a golden energy blast at him. He held up his hand and it diminished. Suddenly, even without touching the chains, the shackles around her wrists and feet were pulled in every direction, and she was suspended in midair.

"Is this some kind of sick joke?" Alex demanded. Maybe he was her half brother. Maybe it was a test by Apollo himself. "Is this some kind of test, Apollo?" The man's face suddenly twisted with utter disgust and hatred.

"Don't you _dare_ refer to me as that fraud!" He hissed. The shackles grew hotter. Alex cried out. "I am Helios, the Titan of the sun! I've been killed by that vulgar disgrace and he stole my chariot! But my patron, Gaea, has given me a second chance because I've been excluded by Kronos who claims he 'forgot' to include me in this revolution! Well, look at what's happened now! A mere demigod had killed him and his army fled from a stupid hat.

"And my dear sister, Selene, actually liked her replacement! She actually let that other fraud replace her just like that! When Gaea offered a second chance, she turned it down and even told me not to get revenge. Ha! Like she can tell me what do to!? The same with Eos too. It looks like I'm all alone on this one for now...but I'm close to reviving Typhon, even though that fish guy took him down a while ago. It was so stupid! But now, while the gods are recovering, I will revive Typhon and bring Olympus down! Especially that disgrace!"

"Oh, yeah? Well, I'm going to bring you down!" Alex snapped. He gave her a look and shook his head.

"You'll be my slave, my puppet." Ah, there's the puppets again. "And you will help me by lending me your power to bring Olympus down. My patron said I should revive her instead of attacking Olympus, but I can't stand to know that he's still out there still acting like such a fraud, getting away with my murder! Your power will surely help me destroy Olympus and kill Apollo." He shuddered at the name. Alex rolled her eyes.

"Okay. Sure. Lets go with that." She said sarcastically.

"You are in my control now. You are my toy. And if you manage to defy me, your little family shall pay the price." He smirked and Alex paled. "Or those friends of yours you left behind. It's your choice." Anger boiled inside Alex. She screamed in fury and thrashed around in the chains. Her hands became flamethrowers, setting the room ablaze. With a quick snap of his fingers, Helios had "absorbed" the fire. "Thank you." He smirked.

Alex wrapped her fingers around the chains and tried to give it a yank, but it was no use. The burning increased and Alex screamed in pain and in frustration.

"Obey me, and you're friends and family will be spared. Give it up now." Alex gritted her teeth.

"I won't give up! And I'll save my friends!" She snapped. He chuckled darkly. How on earth could he chuckle darkly? It seemed impossible, but since he was a Titan, Alex guessed he could chuckle however he wants. She struggled and thrashed around like a spaz, doing everything she could to free herself. But she couldn't. She was now utterly useless.

"I'll get you to see it my way." Helios said. He pulled on the chains, and Alex dropped to the ground. This time, she made the mistake of trying to run. He tugged her bag and she was choked by the collar. She coughed and tried to let more oxygen get into her lungs before she gets choked to death. The yank had pulled her on her back. She rolled over and got to her feet and lunged at the man, who blasted her away with an energy blast. She cried out in pain, but she stood up again.

Again and again, Alex tried to attack Helios, but he blasted her away each time or controlled her. He controlled her body movements and even made her send an energy blast out the window. Alex yelped and what she did and attempted to regain control, but she knew that it was gone.

"Aren't you feisty?" He was very amused and had sat down in a chair. Alex grunted and started spinning in a circle, trying to form that fiery tornado that she did once. But all that happened was that she got tied up in the golden chains. He then gave a dark, mischievous look and then he rose. He walked up the grand flight of stairs.

At first, Alex thought he had no longer found her amusing and just left her there, like a mummy in golden chains of light. But the look on his face told her that she was very entertaining and that he wasn't done playing with his new toy. Without any warning, Alex was dragged all the way back to the bedroom where she had awoken in, but then it seemed that she fell asleep once more, but it wasn't so painless like the first time.


	33. Chapter 33

Around sunrise, the Hunters have left. Apparently when they returned to their cave, Artemis had returned to give them a new task and they were no longer needed to get Laelaps. The Hunters headed to the east coast in search of the Sun Chariot.

Tyler has never been more distraught. Percy watched him. He looked so tired and restless. At first, he cried. It wasn't as bad as Peyton, but he has lost his girlfriend. After the tears, he went on a mini-rampage. He really hated himself for not saving her, but he and Percy got in a very heated argument because Percy didn't try to save her and that he didn't care.

How could he accuse Percy like that? Percy guessed he understood because he just lost his girlfriend, but Tyler didn't have to take it out on him. Percy might've been the same way if it was Annabeth, but Annabeth has had a lot more experience than Alex.

And because of this stupid thought, it has started heated argument number two. Percy had let it slip. He didn't really think about the comment so much, but now that he does, it was really stupid. Sure, Annabeth is smarter and has a lot more experience. But Alex is very capable and strong. She has such determination and willingness to sacrifice and protect. She doesn't care how she does it, she just has to do whatever it takes to make everyone safe.

Percy admitted to himself that he felt guilty that he didn't save Alex. He really missed Alex. He hid himself so he could cry. She was so happy and carefree. She was so free-spirited and was just a big fiery ball. She was just like Apollo, he had to admit.

Grover had found him and comforted him. Percy even felt guilty for crying so hard. He was worried Annabeth would find out and be mad at him and get so jealous, but it'd be so adorable yet painful. Maybe. Alex is the one who hurts him. She was a very violent person.

They had decided to complete Alex's mission for Alex and go to the Biltmore estate. Maybe they could find her statue and ask the gods for mercy to revive her. Percy knew Zeus was grumpy with him because of Percy turning down his offer. But Percy's main problem was getting there. No one knew the PIN number so they could get money for a cab, but Percy was afraid how horribly wrong the cab could go anyway. No chance of airplane, but Percy called for Blackjack and was currently waiting for him.

"_Yo, boss!_" Blackjack called. He landed beside Percy, but beside him was a pure white mare Pegasus. "_This_ _better_ _be_ _important_." Blackjack eyed the mare. Percy chuckled. Blackjack had a little girlfriend.

"_Don't be so rude._" The mare scolded. "_Your boss is traveling with mine. And she doesn't speak horse. Percy's my only connection to her and you know that I owe her everything for dropping her._"

"_Yeah, but Sky, we were on a date.._." Blackjack said sheepishly.

"Can we save this for later? I need you two to take us to where_?_" Percy looked to Tyler. Tyler looked up, his eyes empty. Percy realized that he truly loved Alex.

"Asheville, North Carolina..." He replied.

"_Whoa. What up with him?_" Blackjack asked.

"It's been a long night...my friend Alex was kind of turned to stone." Percy was surprised of how choked up he got when saying those words. "They were kind of...you know." Blackjack nodded.

"_Alex? My Alex?! She's what!?_" Sky the mare demanded.

"_Sky, calm down. Everything's going to be okay._" Blackjack comforted.

"_I'm sorry...I just need a moment._" Sky trotted away with Blackjack following. Percy turned to Tyler, Peyton, and Grover.

"So, who's ready to go to North Carolina?" Percy asked casually.

"How? We're broke." Peyton responded. As if on cue, Blackjack and Sky trotted over. Percy patted their backs. Peyton screamed. "No! We are not flying!"

"It's the only way." Percy wasn't too thrilled about it either. It made him nervous because Zeus might zap him out of the sky. Tyler looked uneasy and nervous too, but remained silent. Percy could tell that Grover wasn't too thrilled about it. This'll be an interesting flight.

Turns out, Peyton is scared of heights like Thalia. Percy and Tyler had to go get her when she ran away screaming. Tyler carried her by the torso, and Percy carried her thrashing legs. They mounted her on Sky. Percy held her while Tyler got on behind her and then wrapped his arms around her to secure her.

Percy and Grover got on Blackjack. Seconds later, they were on their way to North Carolina.


	34. Chapter 34

Alex awoke when she was yanked on the floor. There was endless excruciating pain. It was gone now, but she remembered what he had done and Alex began to cry. Slowly, Alex arose and she struggled to calm herself. She felt the shackles tug. Helios called her. Alex resisted and looked into the mirror.

She couldn't recognize the reflection. Her hair was ten times longer, past her waist. It was messy and wild. She wasn't quite sure why her hair was like that. There was a nearby hairbrush and she began to brush it, even though she resisted, her hands did it anyway. Helios had dressed her a black dress with short sleeves and it was above her knees. She was barefoot.

Alex reluctantly went to Helios. She had lost hope. He had broken her and she has lost the will to fight. It was no use. He was a Titan and she was his little pawn. He was in control and Alex never felt more weak.

Helios was outside in one of the large gardens. This one had several statues Alex assumed they were mythological. Helios made her turn and face the statue of a goddess with an animal. Artemis, her aunt. Slowly, Alex raised her hand and Helios channeled her power into an energy blast at it. The statue exploded and a piece fell at Alex's feet. It was an engraving that said Diana. Who was Diana? The artist?

Alex was then turned to the statue of a man, who she immediately knew was Apollo, even though it didn't really look like him. She resisted Helios, but he forced another energy blast through her hands onto the statue. Helios turned Alex to face him. Behind him was the golden Sun Chariot, glittering in the sunlight.

"I can't find my horses to pull it." Alex simply stared at him. "You will pull it."

"Me!? I can't!" Alex suddenly cried. Helios dragged Alex to the front of the chariot. Alex gripped the chains like tops over her shoulders. Helios got in it and it floated in midair. Alex didn't move. There was a sudden sharpness against her back. A whip. But it pulled at her skin. There was hook attached to the end of the whip. Alex refused to move. He whipped her again and Alex started to walk.

This chariot weighs a million tons. It was like trying to drag a really big tree around. She pulled the chariot at a rate that made turtles look fast.

"Where am I even going?" Alex grunted.

"St. Louis. There, we will bring Echidna to raise Typhon." Helios explained and whipped Alex again. "At this rate, the gods will have already recovered and stop us. Go faster!" He hissed. This time, he set the chains on fire and burned Alex. She screamed and tried to regain control over the flames, but she failed.

Helios sighed and Alex doubled over in pain in midair, if that's possible. There was terrible pain growing from the inside out. Alex nearly passed out as the world dimmed and the chariot began to descend the grounds. When Alex refocused herself and pulled herself up, she screamed.

It wasn't really a scream. It was a neigh. A very angry neigh that startled her. Helios had turned her into a freaking Pegasus. She was palomino colored with a white stripe on her face and white socks. Replacing the shackles were golden reigns.

"Now go!" He ordered and whipped Alex's horse back. Alex yelled every swear in the book at the top of her lungs, but they all came out in neighs. "Shut up!" He whipped her again. Alex thrashed around and flew in every direction, bucking and rearing. Helios yanked on the reigns that started to burn. He whipped at her again and Alex's feet, now hooves, moved on their own.

Alex was forced to fly and drag this chariot all the way to St. Louis. She was a lot stronger and faster, but it wasn't easy. She didn't even get to St. Louis. Helios stopped her and she looked around. She could hear neighing from other horses. But they were in the sky, so maybe Pegasi.

Finally, Helios made her descend the clouds to check out the Pegasi because there were also human voices. They remained hidden, but Alex clearly saw a familiar black Pegasus and a white one. Blackjack was the black one's name...right? Percy's Pegasus.

And speak of the devil! There was Percy and Grover on Blackjack! Next to Blackjack was Sky. Riding on Sky was Tyler and Peyton. This could be Alex's chance for help.

"_Sky_!" Hopefully Sky heard her. Helios whipped at Alex, causing her to cry out in pain, but he tugged on the reigns, silencing her.

"Not another word if you wish for your friends to live." He whispered. Alex whimpered and was turned around. She was forced to fly all the way back to Biltmore estate at an incredible speed.


	35. Chapter 35

There was an abrupt stop. Sky had heard it. Blackjack heard it. Percy heard it. It was another Pegasus. Sky thought for sure she heard her master call out her name, but the only non-pegasus who had heard it was Percy, son of Poseidon and the only communicator in the group. So maybe it was another Pegasus. Perhaps it was overjoyed to be in the sky?

"What's wrong, Percy?" Tyler asked. Percy didn't seem to hear him. He was listening carefully for the voice again. It startled Blackjack and Sky, but Percy didn't know why. "Percy?" Tyler tried again.

"Didn't you hear it? Didn't you hear her?" Percy asked.

"Hear who? Peyton didn't say anything." Peyton was as still as stone. Her eyes were closed tight and she gripped Sky's mane tightly.

"_Yo, boss! We've got company_!" Blackjack looked around, sensing a dark presence. He couldn't put his hoof on it, but it quickly went away.

"_I heard it. Was it another Pegasus that knew me?_" Sky asked.

"You guys are making me more nervous!" Peyton snapped quietly. Tyler patted her shoulders to comfort her. She was very stiff and on edge.

"_Guys, run! Go!_" There it was again, followed by a horse yelp. Sky suddenly took off, causing Peyton to whimper a little. Blackjack followed.

"What's wrong, Sky?" Percy called.

"_Didn't you hear that? Someone's near! And they're in trouble!_" Sky replied.

"Oh, good. I'm not going crazy after all." Percy spoke.

"What are they saying?" Grover asked.

"Well, this Pegasus is in trouble and told us to run and called out to Sky. And Sky has a strong feeling about this." Percy explained and drew Riptide, just in case. Blackjack and Sky circled the area for half an hour, but there was nothing.

"Hey, Sky, Blackjack, let's rest now." Percy spoke as the sun began to set.

"_No! Let's keep going to North Carolina._" Sky insisted.

"_Baby, we need to rest and so do they._" Blackjack pointed out tenderly.

"_I already dropped my master and now she's a rock! I have to do something! This is the least I can do!_" Sky protested fiercely.

"_Sky, baby, stop blaming yourself. You'll overwork yourself, sweetie._" Blackjack said soothingly. Percy could understand and relate to Sky. He had this small, stupid hope that maybe they could find Alex's statue and maybe someone on Olympus will have sympathy and change Alex back. Like his dad. His dad might be able to fix Alex. Or Apollo. Apollo seemed to really care about Alex. And if he truly did, he would change her back.

This was strange. Percy hated that he was a teenage boy and the way he thought about Alex. He really _really_ likes Annabeth. It is love. But Percy was a little scared to admit it. It seemed too early, but it also seemed very right. Percy often caught himself staring at Alex and thinking about her. He thought about her almost as much as Annabeth now that Alex was gone. That scared him a little too, but he could never see a relationship with her. Plus, she was Tyler's.

Percy shook his head. He needed some sleep. He let his mind run wild there, and he thanked the gods that no one could read his mind. He needed some Annabeth and maybe get back to school. Did he just think that? Well, he wanted things to go back to normal. Go to school during the year, and then go back to camp in the summer. Percy missed his mom and her blue food. Percy remembered something Alex mentioned to him once that she only goes to school so that she won't get in trouble. If she got in trouble, no prom. Even though Alex was...Alex, her dream seemed to really want to go to prom. Also, Thalia the muse paid a lot of money for it.

Finally, they landed when Sky was overruled. Tyler tried hacking into Alex's bank account and got into it. But this depressed everyone even more, though.


	36. Chapter 36

They arrived back at the mansion. Alex was returned to normal in a painful process. Alex was forced to hand make ambrosia for Helios. It took her millions of times to perfect it because Alex is so terrible at cooking. She wished Peyton was with her to help her, but she was alone, and she was beaten and burned every failure.

It was finally decent enough for him to eat, and Alex had the honor to feed him too. He allowed her to eat the edible leftovers, but that wasn't that much. She prayed to the gods that Tyler and the others got her message to run. Helios paced everywhere, and often lashed out at Alex.

"I have to try to get Echidna again. And soon. That was close... Otherwise Typhon won't be at full power and whole." He muttered. Alex remained silent and left him to his thoughts. He'd sometimes suddenly yanked her over and pleased himself with Alex as his toy. If she resisted, she'd get burned.

The next morning, Alex had third degree burns. Her skin was charred and red and raw. She had lost all feeling after getting them. Alex had never looked more awful. The burns on her body, mainly her arms, stomach, and legs. She also had other bruises and she had heavy bags under her eyes from exhaustion. She never slept because Helios didn't need sleep and she was his toy.

A daily routine was formed. Alex might get lucky with a few hours of sleep. In the morning, she'd attempt to make ambrosia and nectar for Helios. She couldn't eat any ingredients. Helios would know and would burn her a little more. Alex didn't know why she cared because she has lost all feeling.

To help Helios "think," Alex would play every instrument. He was extremely bipolar. He'd make her play the lyre, but his lyre made her fingers sting, to remind her of Apollo and that he has abandoned her. But then he'd make Alex destroy it because he hates Apollo with a burning passion.

The piano made Alex's fingers bleed. She was piano prodigy ever since she could climb on the seat. The keys seemed to be charmed with some kind of magic that stabbed Alex's fingers with invisible knives. And then Helios would make her clean it all up.

Throughout the day, he'd transform her into a Pegasus. She'd endlessly swear and she would drag that stupid Sun Chariot around. He wanted her to get her strength up for St. Louis so they can get Echidna quickly.

Alex couldn't believe that she was still alive. She's always bleeding from something, she hardly eats and sleeps. Helios literally drains her life energy and powers for him to power himself up.

They finally got to St. Louis, but Echidna was then in mt. St. Helens. Helios threw a tantrum and made Alex to back to the estate.

It's been several days. Alex thought that if Tyler came after her, he'd be here by now. Alex didn't see Sky or Blackjack anymore. It was a relief, but also a little painful. Alex missed everyone terribly. She missed Tyler's arms around her. She missed Peyton and her cute little okie accent. She missed Percy even though he was a bit of smart aleck to her. And Grover. Sure he was timid, but it was cute. They got along. He was sweet.

He taught her how to use her powers. He said that he was her weapon against Olympus. Alex did everything she could to sabotage and resist, but she was practically dead. He didn't need to sleep and she was at his beck and call. Usually she'd try to attack him after she woke up from sleeping, but it would end so very badly.

Helios had no more use for Laelaps, so he sent him after the Teumessian fox. Alex knew that it wouldn't have an interference this time and she cried for Laelaps. Helios loved to watch her cry, but he'd also use it as an excuse to beat her too.

"Alexandra," Helios called her to the bedroom. Alex expected the usual, but he left the curtains open, letting the sunlight in, making him glow. In his hands was another black dress and heels. "Put these on. Now."

"Alex!" Alex snapped.

Alex slipped on the dress. It was long and dragged on the floor a little. It was a plain, tight black dress. It was off-shoulder and it was really low cut, showing cleavage, making Alex uncomfortable. Just a little gold glittered from her tattoo, but it was covered by the long sleeves that hid her wounds and burns. Helios brushed her hair to cover the little gold part and then the rest of it on her back to hide the burns.

"You have beautiful shoulders. I'll have to cover them with your hair though..."

"Why not just make me wear a dress that covered my shoulders too?" Alex asked.

"You didn't hear me? You have beautiful shoulders. Plus, these are the only two dresses I got from Selene. Good thing you guys are the same size." Helios replied sternly, heating his hands as he touched her shoulders. "We have guests. I'll speak for you. You will lead them like a tour guide, but take them directly to the basement and put them in the Halloween room." Helios explained.

Alex put the heels on, and they were extremely uncomfortable. They added her a lot of height and the dress just barely touched the ground now.

Finally, Alex was finished with a black masquerade mask. Nothing fancy. Just plain black. Alex really couldn't recognize her reflection. From being around Helios the sun Titan, her hair was brighter but not as bright as Helios'. The mask wiped her identity completely, and her hair was too long for Alex.


	37. Chapter 37

Several days later, Sky and Blackjack dropped of the foursome on the estate. They got lost, but Peyton managed to get them to the gardens of the estate. There, she lead them to the mansion.

"The flowers told me where to go. They also sent me warnings, so that's a good sign that we're in the right place." Peyton explained. They reached the castle.

"Oh my gods..." Tyler was in awe. He started rattling off like Annabeth would about terms no one understood. He walked aimlessly around the perimeter of the mansion for a while. Everyone was prepared for the worst and had their weapons drawn.

"What are you guys waiting for? C'mon!" Tyler rushed up to the front door like a little kid. Everyone scowled and followed him. He rushed to the winter garden, but he was stopped.

There was a tall woman. She looked like she was in her twenties or thirties and wore a mask. She had a long black dress that was a little revealing. She had long lightish sandy blonde hair and broken blue eyes that looked lifeless and all hope was gone. In fact, when she first laid eyes on them, tears almost formed. There were golden shackles around her wrists, ankles, and neck.

"Welcome to the Biltmore estate. I will be your tour guide for today. Please put your weapons down. There will be no need of them." Her jaw was clenched and her words seemed forced and empty. Everyone exchanged glanced. Percy sighed and capped Riptide. Peyton sheathed her dagger and Grover put his reed pipes away.

"Thank you. Right this way." She turned away.

"Where is Alex?! Tell me where she is!" Tyler demanded, grabbing the girl by the shoulders. She winced in pain. Tyler felt her charred skin.

"You're too late. She's gone. Forever." She replied brokenly. Tyler released her angrily, shoving her to the ground. She whimpered and slowly rose.

"You'll find what you're looking for. Follow me." When they were in the library, Percy noticed her reach for Alex's bag Peyton had, but the chains yanked her hand back. She mumbled something he couldn't hear.

The woman lead them down into the basement. Percy wondered why they were even doing this. Tyler made it clear that he wanted to explore the mansion. Percy didn't know what else to do now that he was here. He was always on guard and kept his eyes open.

It was a pretty sweet place. It was really old, but it surprised Percy that it had a bowling alley and a swimming pool. It was filled too. It calmed Percy's nerves a little. There was something strange about the tour guide. Percy couldn't put his finger on it. The curls and waves of her hair reminded him of Alex. But everything did. It was too long for Alex. If Alex was alive, her hair wouldn't be much longer. Plus, Alex had fire, passion, determination, and hope in her blue eyes. The woman was the exact opposite. She might pass for Alex's older sister.

Some hair moved and revealed some serious burns on her back. Not Alex. Alex can't get burned.

"Hey, are you okay?" Percy asked instinctively. Words choked her, so she simply nodded. Percy pitied her. He shouldn't. She could become a monster or something. But that seemed really hard for Percy to believe. He trusted her. Why? Why did he trust her?

It seemed the others were the same. They were relaxed. It was if nothing happened. Or like they were on vacation. No worries. Alex wasn't stone. They weren't in a potential death trap or ambush.

"This is the Halloween room." She choked out. "Cornelia Vanderbilt painted this room for her wedding." In the corner of the room was a flash drive, drumstick, some shorts and a t-shirt. She looked like she was pushed in the room. She reached out and tried to push Percy out, but the chains controlled her like a puppet. She went in and broke down crying. "Guys...run..." The collar tightened around her throat and she coughed. She choked and struggled to breathe.

Percy rushed over immediately and tried to get the golden collar off. She punched Percy across the room.

"Percy!" She screamed. "I'm... so... sorry...Percy..." She coughed. Everyone drew their weapons. "Run... It's...it's...a...trap..." She was suddenly yanked back and dragged out of the room. The doors slammed shut. Grover ran to them and shook them. He yelped and jumped back.

"They're extremely hot."

"We have to hurry. We have to save her." Tyler exclaimed, tackling the door.

"Why? She attacked Percy!" Peyton pointed out.

"It's Alex." Percy replied. Tyler looked surprised.

"How do you know?" Tyler asked.

"That, was an Alex punch." Percy responded. "How bout you?"

"I saw her tattoo."

"How could that be her?" Peyton asked. "She's supposed to be stone!"

"Someone must've de-stoned her. And now she's prisoner to them." Grover suggested.

"Alex can't be burned though, and she had very serious burns on her back." Percy pointed out.

"We don't have time for this!" Tyler snapped and he charged at the doors. Nothing happened. Percy and Tyler tackled it. Nothing. Percy, Tyler, Grover, and Peyton tried. Nothing. Then Percy got an idea.

Suddenly, the water from the pool crashed through the doors, breaking them open. They all rushed out. Thanks to Tyler's research, he was able to navigate throughout the house. They tore it apart. Peyton spotted a young man and a golden chariot and Alex. Alex screamed, but he never touched her. But then Alex was gone, and a palomino Pegasus replaced her.

She flew into the sky, dragging the man in the golden chariot. She looked like she was dying the world's most painful death. She neighed, but pressed forward.

Percy heard her scream. He suddenly recognized it and kicked himself for his stupidity. She was there, in the sky, when Sky and Blackjack had stopped. She warned them.

"Alex...Alex. Calm down. It's okay." Percy called.

"Percy! Percy... I'm so so sorry...run while you can...I'll hold him off..."

"Not without you! Listen carefully."


	38. Chapter 38

She was done.

Absolutely done.

Alex dragged the Sun Chariot. Helios thought Tyler and everyone were locked in the Halloween room, but they escaped. He knew that he had to hurry and get Echidna. Alex heard Percy's plan.

Alex suddenly collapsed, and the Sun Chariot crashed onto the earth.

"You stupid girl!" Helios snapped and kicked Alex's side. She didn't move. He groaned and returned her to normal and dragged her body into the Sun Chariot. He created horses from light and they pulled the chariot back to the estate. It took a while and it used up most of Helios' energy. The horses disappeared when they arrived back at the estate.

Helios acted like a drunken man. He seemed very dizzy and wobbled inside, leaving Alex in the chariot. She quickly arose and rushed inside. Helios went back to Mr. Vanderbilt's bedroom. Alex could not find the others anywhere. Have they lied and run off?

Alex was about to enter the other gardens, but suddenly, a hand grabbed her wrist. She screamed in pain, but it was muffled by a hand over her mouth. She was pulled into the shadow of the mansion. She whimpered from the pain.

It was Tyler.

Alex was crying tears of joy and pain by then and she leapt into his arms. She was suddenly overwhelmed with pain but she didn't care. He was here. They kissed and the time apart was nothing now.

"You shouldn't be here. He'll kill you...he'll surely kill you." Alex said, burying her face in Tyler's chest as he held her tightly, yet tenderly, unwilling to let her go ever again.

"Are you sure you're Alex?" Peyton asked, studying her. Alex took off the mask and threw it on the ground.

"The stupid Titan! He did this to me!" Alex hissed. She yanked her heels off. Next, she ripped the sleeves off completely, revealing more burns, along with the bottom of the dress so it was a little above the knee. "And my stupid hair! He did it all. Unstoned me and then made me wore a dress and heels!"

"Yep, you're Alex." Peyton smiled.

"Alex, your arms..." Percy reached out to her.

"And my back. And my stomach. And my legs. My wrists and ankles and neck are the worst. He burned me. I didn't know that was possible! But I'm fine. I'm a fast healer." She said reassuringly.

"Then why aren't you healed yet?" Tyler asked.

"Because he keeps doing it."

"Did you say Titan?" Grover questioned.

"Yeah. Helios. He's on a rampage. Kronos 'forgot' to revive him with the rest of the titans. He had a patron revive him so he can revive Typhon and get the gods while their weak. Oh, and I'm his puppet slave to help destroy Olympus. And he stole back his chariot and has a crazy obsession with killing Apollo because he killed him." Alex explained.

"Apollo once explained to me that he just faded because of the downsizing." Percy protested.

"He might've lied. We won't know because we won't there when it happened." Alex retorted.

"Apollo's the god of truth. He can't lie." Alex opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it.

"I'm going to kill Helios. He hurt you. He abused you and turned you into a Pegasus to pull that chariot." Tyler growled.

"You can't kill him. He'll imprison you like he did to me." Alex mumbled. As if on cue, a fireball slammed into Peyton's chest, knocking her away. Immediately, Alex tried to control the fire, but she was yanked back and Helios appeared. He started to control Alex and he made her throw a fireball, but Alex was able to miss Grover. Her wrists began to burn again and she yelped in pain.

"Alex!" Tyler charged at Helios, with a look of pure hatred. He knocked Helios back and put a foot on his chest and his sword to his throat. Tyler raised his sword, and that's when Helios pulled Alex in front of him as a shield. Tyler stopped, which was a big mistake.

Helios this time had more control and made her throw another fireball, and it crashed into Tyler's chest. Percy summoned water to put it out.

"No!" Alex screamed. She spun around and face Helios. He tried to control her again, but she grabbed the chains. Her brought them up, and then yanked them down with such force it completely shattered into pieces of light. Afterwards, Alex used her powers to send all of the shards flying at Helios. This knocked Helios back into the mansion. Alex controlled the light chains around her ankles and made them disappear.

Unfortunately, that was as far as she got. Helios pulled her collar chain and she started to suffocate. The corners of her eyes darkened as she struggled to breathe. Her knees gave out on her and she crumbled to the ground in a wheezing mess.

It was finally over and air rushed into her lung. She turns and sees Percy. He shattered the chains with Riptide. Helios created a wall of fire that knocked Percy away into a rose bush. Ouch. Alex jumped through the flames and tackled Helios. She may not have any weapons, but that will definitely not stop her.

For a while, they wrestled each other. Alex was able to bring him down onto the ground and fight him, but he was too strong, and she was too weak. He shoved her off and drew a long, golden sword. He pointed it at Alex's neck. Alex prepared herself for death, but the ground suddenly caved in around Helios' feet. He jumped back. Alex took the opportunity to recover and get back on her feet.

"Alex!" Peyton called and tossed her flash drive. Alex caught it and drew Crescendo. Helios was ready. Alex and Helios engaged in a brutal sword fight. It also happened to be the most intense light show ever. There was a struggle over who controlled the light and fire. They used it against each other, but it either didn't do much, or they missed.

Helios grunted, and Alex began driving him back. She was able to push Helios back all the way to the main road where you could drive to the other attractions. He turned on the road and fled into the woods. Alex was about to go after him, but her knees gave out on her.

Percy helped her up to her feet and asked, "are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Alex replied. "I now truly feel like Sailor Moon. Fighting in a skirt, but with swords." Peyton giggled.

"Guys," Grover called. He was trembling. Everyone looked at him. He pointed behind them, and they all spun around. It was a giant man-freak made of storm clouds and had big eyes. But it also looked like it was missing chunks of its body. It had holes everywhere.

"Don't look! If you stare at Typhon long enough, you'll go insane." Percy warned.

"How are we supposed to fight that thing?" Tyler asked. "Didn't you say that the gods couldn't bring him down?"

"Yeah, but my dad was able to stop him and help the rest of the gods. And then he opened up the earth and chained him in Tartarus." Percy explained.

"Guys! Where's Alex?" Peyton exclaimed. They all looked around. Suddenly, Alex rushed past them in a blur, and then flew into the air. She started glowing gold and zipped across the sky. She tackled Typhon in the chest full force, creating a giant explosion.

Tyler raced forward and caught Alex in his arms oh-so-romantically. Typhon brought a fist down, and Tyler jumped out of the way. Alex stumbled to her feet.

"Are you crazy?" Percy asked, even though he knew the answer.

"Of course! C'mon, Percy. You should know by now." She teased. Typhon had created a massive storm with powerful winds and endless sheets of rain that stung. Lightning struck down, but Tyler had rolled away in time. Alex conjured up an illusion of Typhon and he was now a giant stormy t-Rex with long arms and many holes in his body.

"Good thinking." Grover said.

"C'mon guys. We've got a giant to take down." Alex drew her bow and released golden arrows that exploded on contact with Typhon. Alex jumped into the air and punched Typhon squarely in the gut. She landed on her butt, but she conjured up a force field to protect her and Percy from a giant thunderbolt. In fact, it recoiled back and it wounded Typhon.

The winds increased and everyone was lifted into the air. Alex flew and tried to gain control, but the winds thrashed her in every direction. Alex then got an idea, which surprised her because everyone was screaming and getting struck by lightning. Percy tried to have some control over the winds because he's special like that. Alex at least was able to somehow (she had no idea how she did it) to heat up the atmosphere so no one froze from the icy rain and sleet.

"Peyton, summon vines to ground us!" Alex prayed that Peyton understood what she was thinking. Vines sprouted up from the earth and each one wrapped around each ankle. Everyone was grounded, but the winds still worked against them. Tyler soon understood Alex's plan and used the winds to fly at Typhon. The vines grounded them close enough.

Alex's arrows went flying everywhere, so they were useless. She slashed at Typhon, but he picked up on what they were doing, so he dodged accordingly. Tyler got very frustrated, so he punched the ground. A fissure formed and spread across to Typhon, where the earth gave away, and he fell back.

This only made him angry. Typhon summoned a giant gust of wind, sending everyone back. While they were vulnerable and recovering, he struck them with lightning that they dodged by inches. The lightning kept coming, and the winds threw them in every direction as rain poured down on them.

Except for Alex. Typhon grabbed Alex, and began squeezing the life out of her.

"Alex!" The others called, crashing into the ground. Alex screamed in pain. Typhon squeezed harder. Bones began to crush. Alex screamed louder in agony.

Suddenly, Alex was glowing. Light began to swallow her and Typhon, growing brighter and brighter like the sun was brought to earth. No, it was way brighter than the sun. Tyler and Percy held Peyton and Grover on the ground, the light growing more blindingly bright by the second. Alex's scream was still heard, but Typhon grunted and even cried out in pain.

"Don't look!" Grover instructed.

"Alex?" Peyton's curiosity got the better of her.

There wasn't anything but darkness.


	39. Chapter 39

Alex was dropped to the ground when the light finished. She didn't move. Percy thought at first she was dead, but then she slowly got to her feet. One of her arms was bent funny and just kind of hanging there. Definitely broken. The earth was scorched. Alex walked very dizzily, and she fell over. Percy was the nearest, and he caught her. He held her upright.

"Ugh, what happened?" Alex asked groggily.

"Alex?" Peyton asked. She was looking in every direction and squinting. She was sitting, perfectly fine. Alex rushed up to Peyton. And then Alex realized the problem.

"Peyton, how many fingers am I holding up?" Alex asked, holding up three fingers.

"Alex, I can't see you or anyone! Did someone burn out the sun?" She asked. She was starting to panic. It was hinted in her voice. Her whole coronas, even the iris, were white. Alex screamed. Peyton began to cry, because she knew that it was true.

"I'm blind!" Peyton cried.

"How did this happen?" Alex asked. She turned to the others for answers. Percy and Grover pushed Tyler forward. He looked pale.

"Well, um, Typhon was like crushing you with his hand, and I don't know, a light came from you." He explained sheepishly.

"I did this?!" Alex cried. She turned to Percy and Grover, who nodded glumly. Alex shook her head. "No...no..." She rounded on Peyton. "Peyton...Peyton...I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry..." Alex was sobbing seconds later. She never felt more guilty. He best friend was blind, and it was all her fault. "Wait, I can fix this. I can heal you." Alex began to sing a hymn in Ancient Greek.

"Alex, stop it." Peyton said firmly. Alex continued her singing with tears still streaming down her face. "Alex, its not doing anything. Please stop."

"No! I can fix you. I can do it. You'll be okay. I can heal you." Alex protested and put her good hand over Peyton's eyes. She tried to use some healing magic, but nothing happened. "I can fix you..."

"No, Alex, you can't." Alex dropped her hand and sobbed on Peyton's shoulder.

"Guys!" Percy called. Typhon was reproaching, but he was missing an arm.

"C'mon Peyton. I'll get you somewhere safe." Alex pulled Peyton to her feet.

"No! I can fight!" She snapped. "I can sense him. From the earth and the grass. I can't see, but I can sense where he's at and I can help fight."

"Peyton, you're blind. You can't fight!" Alex protested. "I can't be the reason anything else happens to you."

"I'll be fine, Alex." Peyton pulled away, and she rushed to Typhon and stabbed him in the foot. It didn't do anything, but she waved at Alex. Alex sighed and rejoined Tyler, fighting back to back. Alex felt as though she had to make up for Percy. His curse made him tired quicker, and he was slowing down. Alex felt weak and slow, but she did her best to protect Percy from hurting himself.

"My son...help me. Rejoin me." Typhon spoke in a booming voice. He looked down at Tyler. Tyler turned white.

"You're my dad?" He squeaked.

"He's just trying to get in your head!" Alex stood between Tyler and Typhon.

"No, it makes sense. I never got claimed. And remember when we first got to camp? I couldn't go inside the Empire State Building. Isn't that where Olympus is?" Alex was speechless. Before Tyler could say more, his eyes turned gold, and then he went after Alex.


	40. Chapter 40

Alex blocked his word with Crescendo. Tyler continued to attack her with his sword, but she blocked and defended herself. She couldn't believe this was happening. Tyler has lost it.

"Tyler! Stop!" Alex pleaded. "Snap out of it!" Alex pushed herself towards him and slapped him. He stopped and looked at her. He then swung his sword. She dodged and rolled on the ground. He stabbed her, but she rolled away. Alex scrambled to her feet.

The strangest thing happened next. In his hands, he shot out blasts of pure darkness. Alex dodged them. "Tyler?" She asked. He summoned more darkness and shot them out in blasts at Alex. She defended herself with her swords and dodged, but she was about ready to drop.

"Tyler..." Alex called. "Snap out of it. He's using you!" She yelled. And then she ran up to him quickly and kissed him.

When she pulled away, she saw his eyes turn back to the dark brown.

They returned to gold quickly after and he slashed Alex with his sword before she could dodge. She cried out in agony and fell back, but she slowly rose to her feet again. He got her stomach and broken arm and she started bleeding terribly. But she stretched out her unbroken arm.

"Kill me. Just do it, Tyler. Because I refuse to fight you." She called to him quietly. He hesitated. Alex dropped to her knees and dropped her outstretched arm. He pointed his sword at her, but he did nothing. "Just do it already! I can't live if you are against me!"

He lowered his sword and stretched out a hand. His face softened.

"Join me." He said simply. "We could be together. Forever. You and I. No more fighting. No more pain or sadness. It'll just be us, and Typhon, and Gaea." Alex wondered who Gaea was. And then she remembered what Helios mentioned to her before. His patron.

"Tyler...I..." Alex was at a loss of words. She loved Tyler. But could she betray everyone like that? Slowly, she raised a hand and began to slip it into Tyler's hesitantly. She loved him.

"No! Alex! Stop!" Percy had suddenly appeared between Alex and Tyler. Tyler's face twisted to pure hatred. Tyler and Percy then engaged in a sword fight. Percy was way more experienced, but Tyler was able to fight. It was probably from the spell like the darkness he controlled.

"Guys! Stop!" Alex looked at Typhon, who she had forgotten. Grover and Peyton made a really great team, but they couldn't take the giant down. Typhon found amusement in playing with them in the wind. Alex started to go help them, but Percy and Tyler were tearing each other to pieces. "Gods, this is a mess." She grumbled.

And then, a figure emerged from the shadows, scaring Alex. He was dressed in a dark suit with a black and platinum striped tie and a tombstone gray shirt. If you look at his suit closely, you can see the souls trying to escape from their agony. He has a silver ring on his finger, which are as pale as the rest of his body. He is so pale that it it's almost blue, like cold milk. He looked like an evil dictator like Hitler, but he doesn't have a mustache and is clean shaven, with greasy black hair. His eyes are very fiery, angry, and full of mad power.

The arrival of the man stopped Tyler and Percy. Tyler was completely frozen and unmoving.

"Hades." Percy spoked. The man shook his head.

"I'm Pluto." Pluto corrected.

"Like Sailor Pluto." Alex joked. He looked at her, and she fell silent. Percy looked really confused.

"Aren't you Hades? I mean, I know it's been a while since we've talked, but..." Percy trailed off.

"What are you talking about? I've never even seen you before." His sharp gaze fell on Tyler. "What has happened to you? And who said they could raise Typhon without my permission?" Pluto demanded. Pluto put a hand on Tyler's shoulders, and immediately Tyler's eyes turned back to dark chocolate. Tyler's face was written with guilt and full of shame.

"I'm so sorry." Tyler said simply. "I've betrayed you, and I can't live with Typhon as my dad and risk betraying you again."

"Wait, what did you just say?" Pluto cut in. "You are not Typhon's son! You are mine! You and your brother, Nicholas." Everyone's eyes widened. "Oh, that Typhon. He knew what you were capable of and used you. I'm sorry I wasn't here to stop him, son." Pluto actually looked apologetic.

The moment was destroyed with wails from Peyton and Grover. Everyone turned and Alex immediately tackled Typhon and he actually staggered back. Alex then dragged Peyton and Grover to safety, then turned back to Typhon. She slashed at Typhon's ankles, but it bounced back, not even cutting it the slightest.

She continued to try to cut Typhon's ankles, but it did nothing. He raised his foot and then tried to stop on Alex. She raised her hands a over her, and a golden dome of light appeared over Alex's head. Typhon stumbled back. Alex gripped Crescendo and the blade suddenly burst into flames.

"Whoa!" Alex cried, shocked. The storm caused Alex to come back to reality. Typhon punched the ground, but Alex dodged. Immediately, she stabbed his wrist, but it made the flames of the blade explode and blow in every direction. Everyone ducked for cover, but Alex pushed the sword forward, and Crescendo finally broke the skin of Typhon's wrist. She stabbed the sword deeper into his wrist, causing more fire to fly in every direction. Typhon cried in pain, and tried to stop her by creating a bigger storm. It didn't stop Alex. With a final act of resistance against it, she cut his hand completely off before the wind took her and slammed into one of the few rooted trees.

Alex slowly rose from the ground, but the wind blew her high into the sky. She screamed in surprise, but she angled herself and put her hands in front of her. She focused and summoned light to her palms. Light exploded forward into a golden beam of light. It was very powerful and Typhon was completely knocked off his feet. Now there was only one leg. His arms and leg tried to reform. The storm blew Alex into a tree.

"Alright, everyone. I'll take care of this." Pluto then put on a fancy hat. Grover and Percy immediately tackled Tyler and Alex and Peyton.

"It's the Helm of Darkness. Don't look unless you want to go insane." Grover warned.

"I don't think that'll be a problem for me." Peyton grumbled. The curiosity killed Alex, and she had to peek. She suddenly felt like her worst fears were being ripped out of her mind and actually happening to her. She quickly looked away. Grover hit Alex.

"Did you not hear what I just said?" Alex just smiled sheepishly. There were sounds of a battle going on between the two. Peyton was able to explain what was happening because she could sense it on the earth. The battle went on for a very long time, and Alex was getting very restless.

"How did they beat him the first time again?" Alex muttered to Percy and Grover.

"My dad stopped him the Hudson River and then opened up the earth to Tartarus. He was chained there." Percy explained. Alex remembered something she learned at camp. Giants can be defeated with a demigod and god working together.

Alex leapt to her feet and avoided looking at Pluto. She realized he was in his divine form. She was able to conjure up an illusion that he looks like a regular guy and continued the illusion of Typhon as a giant dinosaur. Typhon the giant dinosaur was in many pieces reforming themselves together quickly. Pluto opened up Tartarus, but Typhon really fought to get away from it.

"Pluto!" Alex called. She summoned giant golden chains and whipped them at Typhon's pieces. They held them all together in the chains in one giant knot. She let go of the chains. Pluto placed a seal on the knot of chains and Typhon pieces and then Alex kicked him into the shadows, the freak storm ending.

Despite the illusion, Alex didn't dare look at Pluto.

"You can end the illusion now." Pluto said. Alex ended it, but she was still cautious to look at him. He took off his fancy hat.

"Did that just really happen?" Alex asked. "It was easy."

"He wasn't whole. He was still very weak without Echidna and you severely wounded him. And with my help, we were able to seal him away again. But I have to praise you. You're a real hero. The powerful goddess in you is reawakening. You just defeated one of the greatest enemies of Olympus. I thank you for stopping him." Pluto explained. He turned to Peyton. "You know, you're just like your mother, but a lot less fussy."

"Demeter?" Peyton asked. He shook his head.

"No, your mom is Ceres."

"But I was claimed by Demeter." Peyton protested.

"No. Why else are you so awkward at that Greek camp? It's because you're Roman. Your mom is Ceres." He explained. He didn't wait for responses. "Well, I better go. I want to make sure he sits still in Tartarus." And with that, Pluto slipped into the shadows.

Alex could really go for a nap.

Because Alex is just that lucky, golden chains shot out from the forest and wrapped around her wrists and ankles.


	41. Chapter 41

Helios emerged. He looked like he was recovering from the fight earlier. And furious. He looked really furious.

"Game over. It's time for you to get back to work." He growled. Alex pulled back on the chains me tried to control the light. Percy, Tyler, and Peyton all slashed at the chains, but they wouldn't break.

"No!" Alex was being pulled towards him, but she sat on the ground. He dragged her through the mud, getting mud in places where it should never go. She jumped to her feet and tried to march back to the others. She was briefly lifted into the air and pulled back. Her leg was swung back and fire accidentally was kicked towards Helios.

It was enough to distract him. Alex yanked the chains and squeezed them. They shattered and aimed the fragments at Helios like before. He and Alex struggled over control over the light. It created another intense light show that the others couldn't help but find amusement. Alex was actually really good at controlling her powers, like she's been doing it for years. She looked like Percy when he summoned water, but it was Alex and it was with flames and light. She was a real pro.

Alex and Tyler formed a tag team, darkness and light fighting together as one. But Helios summoned a powerful energy blast of light. Alex tackled the nearest person out of the way, which was Percy. The others weren't so lucky, and were knocked far away. Alex got off Percy and helped him to his feet.

"Thanks." He said. They formed a similar tag team, but with fire and water against Helios' light.

Finally, everyone was wiped out.

Alex was the first to rise.

"Fine! I thought you'd be useful. I was going to bless you for working for me!" Helios snapped. The next few seconds were a blur. He had transformed into his divine form. Alex knew that being in the very presence of a titan's divine form will cause you to incinerate. But instinctively, Alex summoned up a force field to protect everyone.

Actually, no one incinerated. Everyone except for Peyton shielded their eyes. But Alex felt her arms and hands start to burn. Helios created a beam of light, but it recoiled against the force field. Helios cried out, and then he returned to normal. Alex dropped to her knees and she was breathing heavily.

Peyton then summoned many vines and tied up Helios. And for some reason, the vines didn't break. Tyler summoned chains of darkness that pulled Helios into the shadows.

"No! I will get revenge!" Helios exclaimed. Before the final tendril of darkness pulled him down, he shot out a random blast of light. Everyone moved out of the way, except for Peyton. Peyton was looking in every direction, but wasn't moving. Alex sprinted towards her and managed to step in front of her to take the hit.

"Alex!" The others called. When the smoke cleared, Alex was gone and a palomino Pegasus replaced her.

"_C'mon! Are you freaking kidding me?!_" She trashed around a bit in a fit of anger. Everyone started laughing. Alex charged at the nearest person, Tyler, and pinned him under her front hooves. She started neighing swears and cusses. Percy was the only one to hear it, and he just laughed harder. She hit Percy with her hoof and got off Tyler.

"_Is it really over?_" Alex changed the subject.

"Yeah. Sometimes that happens to me. When a battle's over, I really question if it is." Percy reassured. Alex began to trot back to the mansion. The clouds were breaking. The sun was setting and there was a rainbow. Alex secretly loved them ever since she was little. Mostly because of Sailor Moon.

"Where are you going?" Tyler asked.

"_We've got a Sun Chariot to return._" Alex replied. Tyler looked at Percy.

"She's going to get the Sun Chariot." Percy explained. Tyler nodded. He hated how Percy was the only one who could communicate with Tyler's girlfriend. The Sun Chariot was right where they left it. It was in the Italian garden.

"_Everyone get in._" Alex instructed. Everyone stared at Percy.

"Get in the chariot. Alex, do you know how to change it?" Alex shook her head. "I don't know if we all fit." Everyone got in, but only three could fit. Percy got off and thought. "You can't pull this alone."

"_I've done it before. I can do it again._" Alex replied.

"Yeah, but you've got three extra people this time." Percy pointed out. Ying-yang figures appeared in the sky. Sky and Blackjack landed near the chariot.

"_Yo, boss! You called?_" Blackjack asked.

"_No, he didn't!_" Alex protested, glaring at Percy.

"Yes, I did. Alex needs some help pulling this chariot to Olympus." Percy explained.

"_Alex?_" Sky asked.

"_We can finally communicate now, Sky._" Alex replied.

"_What happened? Who did this?_" Sky demanded.

"_I'll explain later._" Blackjack and Sky stood side-by-side in front of the chariot. It was agreed that Alex take the lead. So, she was in front of Blackjack and Sky. Tyler made reins of darkness like Alex's chains of light. Percy got on Alex.

"_What in Hades are you doing?_" Alex demanded.

"We all can't fit in the chariot. So I get to ride on you." Percy smirked.

"_Why not Blackjack?_" Alex asked.

"And miss this once in a life-time opportunity?" Alex was about to buck him off, but Grover cut in.

"Um, guys, I think we should get going. Remember what Artemis said?" Everyone agreed, and then the Pegasi took off in flight. Peyton was thankful she was now blind. Percy and Tyler were really uneasy, but Tyler helped navigate the Pegasi to New York.

The navigation wasn't really needed. A golden path had appeared before Alex. Blackjack and Sky never noticed it, and Alex began ignore Tyler and follow path. Tyler took the hint. A tunnel-like seemed to form around them, but the walls looked like the cosmos.

"_Anyone else see this?_" Alex asked.

"_This I see._" Blackjack spoke.

"_Me too._" Sky added.

"This is weird." Percy drew Riptide. Oh, great. More fun with monsters and giants and titans. Oh my.

"What is this?" Tyler asked. He looked at Grover, who shrugged. This made Peyton panic a little, but Grover and Tyler were there to reassure and comfort her. Alex continued to fly over the path, not finding an end to this tunnel.

Eventually, they reached the light at the end of the tunnel. Alex thought at first that she was dead. She was ready to drop from exhaustion. She was light-headed and dizzy and very drained. Her one leg was limp because that's her broken arm. Probably broken beyond repair. Also some ribs are broken, she could tell. The rest of her body was just numb.

They entered a golden paradise. It was under construction, but everyone looked happy. Alex pulled the chariot to the top of the mountain where there was a grand hall.

"Hold on." He whispered. Alex ignored him and just went straight inside. It was a giant hall with twelve thrones in a u-shape like the cabins at Camp Half-Blood. The thrones were ginormous and personalized for each god. Like, Zeus' was platinum and had cool lightning bolt designs on the side. There was also an extra black one under construction. And there were gods sitting in them. They were huge, like fifteen feet tall or something. Judging by the thrones they sat on, Alex knew which god was which. One was really damaged. Alex guessed Ares because it was the only one she didn't know who it belonged to. He wasn't present. Neither was Dionysus, Poseidon, and Hephaestus.

"This is very serious! Someone stole my chariot and clouded it from my sight!" Apollo growled. Artemis rolled her eyes.

"You probably just lost it again." She replied.

"I've only done that twice!" Apollo and Artemis got into a sibling bickering then, and Zeus rubbed his temples.

"Enough!" He snapped, and Apollo and Artemis fell silent.

"I'll plague the United States until someone decides to fess up and return it!" Apollo threatened.

"Remember our children are down there." Athena reminded.

"Maybe that'll get someone to return it." And then the gods broke into arguments. Percy got off Alex and gave her a look, before turning his attention to the gods, who were all bickering. Zeus silenced them with a roar of thunder. Alex quickly discovered that her legs were shaking and screaming with pain. She also learned that she was breathing heavily and couldn't walk straight because she was so dizzy. She couldn't see straight.

"Percy Jackson..." Zeus grumbled with obvious distaste.

"Are you looking for this?" Percy gestured to the chariot. Tyler hopped out, and Grover assisted Peyton.

"My Sun Chariot!"

"You overreacted again. I knew they'd get it back." Artemis said.

"How'd you know?" Apollo asked.

"Alexandra had leads." She looked for Alex.

"_It's Alex!_" Alex snapped instinctively and annoyingly. She stomped a hoof down.

"Where did you find it?" Athena asked.

"Oh, well, Alex had a vision and saw that it was in North Carolina. This fancy estate thing." Percy began.

"Biltmore estate." Tyler corrected.

"Right. We headed that way, but Laelaps came to take Alex. There was this high speed chase with the Teumessian fox. But you accidentally turned her to stone when you tried to stop it." Apollo whipped his head at Zeus in shock and anger. He opened his mouth, but Percy thought it'd be a good time to continue. "So Laelaps took rock Alex to the estate. There, she was returned to normal and forced as a puppet slave to Helios."

"The sun Titan Helios?" Demeter asked.

"Yes. Uh, so us four go to the estate to get the chariot for Alex. We find her and try to bust her out. And then, um, we fought Helios, but he fled and the dinosaur came." Peyton chimed in.

"Dinosaur?" Athena asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Well, kind of. It was actually Typhon but Alex conjured up an illusion so we could fight him without going insane." Percy quickly explained. There were gasps around the room.

"Typhon? And you lived?! Zeus exclaimed.

"Yeah. But he wasn't quite whole for some-"

"_Helios ran out of time and couldn't get Echidna to make him complete._" Alex quickly said.

"He wasn't complete because he wasn't freed with the help of Echidna. He wasn't at full power and Alex blew up half of his body. And the explosion made Peyton go blind. That's why her eyes are like that." Alex looked down and almost cried from the guilt, but she was too exhausted.

"It was mostly Alex who took him down and stopped him. Oh, and Hades helped us. Oh, wait. Sorry. Pluto, I guess."

"Hades did what?" Zeus demanded.

"It wasn't Hades though. It was Pluto. He came up from the shadows and then sliced up Typhon. Alex chained him together and Pluto was able to drag him down to Tartarus again." Percy explained.

"Where is Alexandra?" Apollo demanded, his face full of concern which didn't suit his carefreeness.

"_How many times do I have to say it?! It's Alex!_" Alex jumped around and stomped angrily yelling swears. She accidentally fell on her broken leg and fell completely over. She yelled more cusses and stood up.

"Jeez. How can you kiss Tyler with that potty mouth?" Percy asked. Alex charged at him.

"_Don't start with me, Percy!_" And then there were more swears. Percy patted Alex's neck.

"This is Alex." All jaws dropped. "Helios came back and him and we fought him. Tyler sent him to Tartarus, but he tried to put up a fight and Alex protected Peyton." Percy explained. Alex nodded in agreement.

"So, could you possibly turn Alex back?" Tyler spoke up. Zeus thought for a moment, and then returned Alex to normal.

"Thanks." Alex felt a pain in her ankle. Has that always been there? Alex startled Percy with how pink her eyes were.

Alex should've been more self-conscious. She stood awkwardly before gods covered in mud wearing a ripped dress and no shoes. She was as pale as a ghost and her arm hung awkwardly covered in blood. And pretty much most of her skin was covered with third degree burns. It was raw and charred. Her hair was matted with blood and mud and just a complete mess.

"Sorry, I stink. There were showers, but I was busy pulling the chariot for Helios. And being a victim of his rage." Alex said simply.

"You said Tyler sent Helios to Tartarus." Zeus began.

"Yeah. It's been revealed that my dad is Pluto." Tyler replied.

"He broke the pact-"

"Um, helloooo!" Alex awkwardly shook Percy's shoulder with one arm. "And I hope you haven't forgotten about princess tree girl."

"Thalia." Percy corrected.

"Sorry. I just say what pops into my head." Alex said sheepishly.

"You better watch your mouth." Zeus warned. "Don't interrupt me."

"Sorry. But it's true..." Alex muttered.

"Alexandra," Zeus began. Alex opened her mouth, but Percy covered it with his hand. She bit his hand. "You were born a gifted demigod. Extremely gifted. But you fell off of Olympus. Lets just say your gifts turned off. And it's going to take a lot to turn them on. When you've become your inner goddess, you can come back here. Maybe the Twelve Labors..."

"I'll figure it out." Alex reassured, not thinking too much of it. She heard it over and over and was quiet sick of it. She was pretty content with her life now. Zeus cleared his throat.

"Well, thank you for stopping Typhon and Helios from attacking. I think I speak for everyone on this that we greatly appreciate it. We are still recovering from the Titan war." Everyone nodded in agreement. Zeus turned to Apollo. "Will you summon Thalia? We have some things to discuss about the demigods she has been hiding."

"Wait!" Alex said quickly. "Don't punish her for hiding us. She was protecting us! And when it was time for us to go to Camp Half-Blood when we were twelve, the titans were on the move and she didn't want us to get killed. She did you all a favor for protecting many of your children."

"I told you to watch your mouth." Zeus reminded.

"Sorry. But I can't let you punish her. She's like a mom to me." Alex replied quietly.

"Very well. But she has to take down her barrier."

"How will she be able to protect us?" Alex asked. Zeus gave her an annoyed look.

"Does she not trust that we won't protect you?" Zeus asked. "Does she doubt us?"

"Not at all! She just knows you are very busy and maybe could use the extra hand." Alex reassured.

"Okay, then she must adjust her barrier so we are able to see what is happening to our children." Zeus said firmly, indicated that he did not want to negotiate any further.

"Fair enough." Alex shrugged.

"Alright. Meeting dismissed." There was a sound of thunder.

"Finally I can shower. I stink." Alex joked.

"Yeah, you do." Tyler wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her forehead. Alex blushed.

"Percy," Hermes cleared his throat. "The list of my children..."

"All safely at Camp Half-Blood." Percy reassured. Hermes smiled. "Except for Macy."

"Macy...why not? Didn't you figure it out? Macy is Luke's sister." Hermes was full of concern and genuine worry.

"I did. She joined the Hunters of Artemis." Percy replied. Relief replaced the worry.

"I'm glad she's in good hands. Thank you, Percy." Apollo shrunk down to average height.

"Alex." He waved her over. Alex knew what was coming. She will be like her brother and get cursed because Percy mentioned her visions. Alex limped over to her dad. "So, um, how are you?"

"I'm fine." Alex lied. Apollo gave her a look. He then looked at her skin.

"Those are serious burns. My children can't get burned." He touched her arm. His hand was really warm. Not hot, but just a nice comforting warmth.

"Helios burned me with magic fire." Alex responded simply. Apollo gazed at all of her burns. He stroked the not-broken arm and all of the burns on her body were completely healed.

"I'm surprised your not dead yet." He touched the gash in Alex's side and arm.

"Tyler got possessed with a poltergeist or something." Alex shivered. "Hate that movie. So much..." It healed was healed from Apollo's touch.

"And your other arm?" He lifted her broken arm. Alex screamed in pain and tears brimmed her eyes.

"Crushed by Typhon. Basically bone dust." Alex choked out. Apollo rubbed her arm, and it was suddenly completely healed. He let go of her arm. Alex tested if it was as good as new, and it was. It was just sore.

"You're limping. Why?" Apollo asked.

"I don't know." Alex looked at her ankle. Apollo got down on one knee and examined her ankle.

"Must've sprained it." He tapped it. Alex tested her ankle and put weight on it. It was completely healed. Apollo stood up.

"So, you need some food in your system and some rest. You've lost a lot of blood, but you're a fast healer. You should be back to normal within a few days. Will will take good care of you."

"What are you doing?" Alex demanded.

"I'm helping you." Apollo replied.

"Why?"

"You're my daughter-"

"No!" Alex snapped. She tried to compose herself, but her blood was boiling.

"Why aren't you punishing me? The cat's out of the bag! I had visions of the future and Percy let it slip that he knew."

"So?"

"Why aren't you cursing me?"

"Why would I punish you? It is what it is."

"That's not fair!" Apollo furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Not fair? What are you talking about?" Apollo asked. Alex hated how she was being treated by Apollo.

"Halcyon Green!" Alex hissed. Apollo's eyes widened. What was that in them? Sorrow? Guilt? He was at a loss of words. Alex went on. "I'm just like him! I have visions and I practically told people about. So curse me. I want you to punish me and curse me."

"Alex-"

"Make me wear the skin of the python and I'll pretend its the cashmere I never had. Take away my voice. It's not like I can sing anyway." Alex exclaimed. For a moment, there was silence.

"I can't do that to you." Apollo spoke finally.

"Why not? That's not fair! You did a horrible thing!"

"I know what I did! But there's nothing I can do now. He's in Elysium." Apollo rubbed his face and Alex crossed her arms firmly across her chest. After a few moments of silence, Apollo walked over to the chariot where Percy, Tyler, Peyton, Blackjack, Sky, and Grover. He pulled Peyton out of the group who fell silent.

"Um, excuse me, but..." Peyton trailed off and squinted. She looked around. Apollo put his hand on Peyton's forehead and his hand glowed golden. Peyton's eyes matched the golden glow. Finally, Apollo removed his hand and Peyton's eyes were hazel again. She blinked and looked around. She looked at her hands and she touched Tyler's face.

"I can see again! Thank you so much!" Apollo left shortly afterwards with his Sun Chariot (which was now a cherry red Maserati again). All of the gods have left, and Percy and Grover took them back to the entrance that'll take them back to the Empire State Building.

"Alexandra." Athena called. Alex didn't want to deal with anything else.

"It's Alex." Alex corrected and approached Athena, who shrunk down to average height.

"Alex, I sense something." Alex opened her mouth, but Athena continued. "The important thing is that your role will be important. I have to warn you. Your fatal flaws will either be the thing to hold it together or tear it apart. You would never give up on anything or anyone. And don't spread yourself too thin." Athena explained. Alex snorted.

"Okay, I will." Alex said lightly.

"I'm serious. You put too much on yourself for your love of people. You go to the ends of the earth to protect a stranger. You have such determination and dedication that you will do anything until its done. If its impossible, you will work yourself to death. But you care about everyone in this world and you think so low of yourself. You put others first and will sacrifice yourself for any stranger, except for enemies because you are so stubborn to betray your friends. Be careful you don't spread yourself too thin. You may be the most dependable person ever, but if you're spread out too thin, you're done." Athena warned. "Good luck." She left without another word.


	42. Chapter 42

As everyone left the Empire State Building, it was morning, which was very startling that they've been up all night. It was very cold, usually cold. In fact, it started snowing. Alex stopped. She started hearing things...whispers.

Alex walked around the corner. There was a woman whispering to herself as she leaned against the building. She is is very beautiful and proud-looking. Her skin is unnaturally white and pale, like snow. She has lush black hair and cold coffee brown eyes. She wears a white silk dress.

She turned to Alex sharply.

"Ugh. Heat." She scoffed. Her face twisted to disgust and the snow began to transform into a blizzard. "I know you. You're the girl who fell." Sh circled Alex.

"Who are yo-"

"Alexandra. Daughter of Apollo. The girl who fell." She said icily.

"It's Alex!" Alex snapped. Her hands burst into flames.

"Fire! I hate fire. I will extinguish your flame!" She hissed. Suddenly, ice formed over Alex's hands like gloves. Alex screamed and then kicked her in the chest. She touched the ground and suddenly ice formed at Alex's feet, freezing her to the ground and making her immobile. Suddenly, the ground shook. She lost her balance. A fissure opened up and she almost fell in, but managed to escape. Alex was suddenly rejoined by her friends.

"It took you this long to notice?!" Alex cried.

"Sorry, darling." Tyler kissed Alex's cheek and charged forward. He was slow, but he made up for it when he made the ground below the woman rise up. He kicked the risen ground and a chunk of it hit her squarely, knocking her back.

Suddenly, Tyler was frozen to the ground. He struggled, but then he was an ice sculpture.

"Tyler!" Alex struggled to move her feet. She looked around and Peyton and Grover were suddenly ice sculptures too. Alex summoned heat to her feet as much as she could. Finally, her feet were freed. She smashed her hands against the building and the ice shattered. She drew Crescendo, but the winds sent her flying back.

The temperature dropped, if that was even possible. Alex shivered a snow piled up on her. It was a white out. She got onto her knees and hugged herself. She tried to make a flame, but it was extinguished from the wind and snow.

Alex looked around and then noticed a body. She crawled over to it.

"Tyler," Alex touched his hand. He stirred and looked up and smiled.

"I-it's P-P-Percy, actually." Percy was trembling terribly like Alex.

"C-c-can't you...can't you do s-s-something, wat-t-ter boy? Ice is water." Alex asked, removing her hand from his.

"I-I can't... I'm too c-cold to do anything..." He shivered. Alex struggled to roll Percy on his back. Alex crawled on top of Percy and laced her fingers with his. "W-w-what are you-"

"B-body h-h-h-heat..." Alex replied. She forced as much heat and fire from her to Percy. She transferred every last drop of her body heat and any heat she could summon to Percy.

That was when the white-out became a black-out.


	43. Chapter 43

Alex awoke shivering uncontrollably. She was propped up against the wall of the Empire State Building. The sun was shining and there was no snow at all. She was wearing Percy's sweatshirt. Tyler, Peyton, and Grover were soaking wet and trembling, but not as bad as Alex.

"Finally. You're awake." Percy spoke. He was the only one who looked normal.

"Why'd you give me your sweatshirt? They need it more than I do." Alex began to take it off. Percy stopped her.

"I don't have magic fire powers. It's my way for repaying you. I probably would've been an ice sculpture if it wasn't for you." Percy replied. Alex dug through her bag and pulled out a sweatshirt with bear ears on the hood. She began to use it as a towel to dry off Tyler, Peyton, and Grover, but she was shaking so bad she couldn't do it properly. She gave up and handed the sweatshirt to Peyton. She hugged Grover and transferred as much heat energy into him as she could.

"We're fine." Alex pulled away from Grover and was shaking even more badly. Tyler wrapped his arms around Alex to warm her up.

"I'm fine too." Alex protested.

"Maybe I lied. Maybe I'm not fine and I need you to warm me up."

"Then take Percy's sweatshirt."

"Instead of having you in my arms? Not a chance, sunshine." He snuggled up to Alex, who blushed madly.

"What happened?" Alex asked Percy.

"You fell unconscious. I gained control of some ice, and that scared her off about an hour ago. But she did the strangest thing when she left. She ripped a chunk of hair off my head and yours." Percy replied. "I stuck those three in the sun and they melted right away." Alex nodded and rose. It was weird that the lady took hair. Maybe she wants to make a clone?

"We should probably head back." Alex suggested and stretched. The five of them began to walk back to Camp Half-Blood.

They reached Half-Blood hill just in time for lunch.

"Percy!" Annabeth tackled Percy onto the ground.

"Oww..." Percy whined.

"That's what you get for being gone so long!" Annabeth snapped. Percy chuckled.

"Couldn't help it. Alex was in trouble." Percy replied. Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"Excuses." They kissed but then pulled away to be welcomed back by the rest of the campers. Annabeth turned to Alex. "Why are you wearing Percy's sweatshirt?" She questioned, jealousy strong in her tone.

"There was a blizzard on our way back." Alex replied, quickly throwing it off like it was deadly. She handed it back to Percy. Annabeth looked at Percy and then to Alex. She narrowed her eyes.

"Don't worry. It was the least I could do. She saved my butt from freezing." Percy said.

"I didn't even do anything but fall unconscious!" Alex protested.

"You saved me from becoming an ice statue. Then you fell unconscious." Percy corrected. Alex scowled.

"Tell me everything." Annabeth commanded.

"Can we eat first?" Alex asked. "I haven't eaten in forever! And when I did, it was burnt scraps."

"I think we have some things to discuss first." Chiron trotted up to the group. They walked together back to the Big House.

"So you decided to come back after all, Alicia." Mr. D grumbled.

"I panicked..." Alex muttered glumly. "And it's Alex!"

"What exactly happened? We just got word from Olympus about what we are going to do with you, Alex, and also that you returned to Sun Chariot." Together, Alex, Percy, Tyler, Peyton, and Grover all explained the story. Alex avoided details about what Helios did to her.

"Interesting." Chiron mumbled when they finished.

"Unfortunately, Apollo asked me to keep you all here even though you left. You better not cause me anymore trouble, Alexis." Alex was too happy and relieved to correct Mr. D. Mr. D then kicked them out to talk to Chiron. Alex didn't have a problem with that. She was starving.

They walked to the Dining Pavilion and made their offerings. Tyler sat at Hades' table with Nick and Alex wanted to sit next to him. As Alex ate and ate and ate, she told the story of their adventures. Her siblings treated her like a great hero.

"Hey, Percy!" Tyler called to the table next to his, which was Poseidon's.

"What's up?" Percy asked.

"We aren't breaking any rules, are we?" Percy grinned and they chatted but they were still technically at their own tables. The Apollo cabin threw a celebration for Alex when she told them how she slain the python just like Apollo.

"Hey, did you hear?" Kayla asked Alex.

"About what? I just got here." Alex replied.

"The Bronze Dragon turned up. It's on a rampage and went off into the woods." Will said.

"Oh, I remember that dragon. I haven't seen it though. So it's on a rampage, huh?" Will nodded. "Wait, does that mean no Capture the Flag?!" Alex cried.

"Unfortunately, yes." Will responded glumly.

"Well isn't that lovely... Why doesn't anyone stop it?" Alex asked.

"The only person who could control it was Beckendorf." Will replied. Alex remembered. He was honored as a great hero around camp who died on _Princess Andromeda_. Alex always wanted to meet him, even though he's dead. He seemed like an amazing person.

"Plus, who wants to take on an angry dragon?" Austin responded.

"Who doesn't? Sounds like fun!" Her siblings laughed at Alex. Alex frowned. "What? I'm serious."


	44. Chapter 44

Alex had almost the same schedule as Percy and Grover. It felt good to be back. Like she was home. Not quiet, but everyone from the orphanage was there, excluding Macy. Alex greatly missed Macy, but she knew that Macy was happy and in the right place, which made Alex happy.

During free time, Alex was finally able to take a shower. The Aphrodite cabin (specifically a chick named Drew) wouldn't let Alex leave until she was absolutely spotless. Drew, the Asian Barbie, made a girl named Lacy overlook Alex and see if she was presentable for the camp. If she wasn't, Alex had to wear the "Shoes of Shame."

This Drew was very persuasive and annoying. Alex remembered catching her flirting with Tyler with her oh-so-perfect hair. Seriously, not a single hair was out of place. Alex couldn't help but sing in the shower (a very bad habit) and Drew bugged her to the point where Alex sang specifically about her.

"Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, but what brand's your makeup? Crayola maybe?" After the shower, Alex put on the "Shoes of Shame" and danced in them all around camp for Drew. Alex then returned to the cabin to cut her hair that Helios had changed. She remembered what Peyton had mentioned to her before.

"You should put it in odangos! Then it'll be like Sailor Moon!" Alex giggled at the memory. She decided to cut it to her shoulder blades. Maybe slightly past them. She looked at herself in the mirror.

"Hey, Kayla?" Alex called to Kayla, who was working with medicine and trying to improve on how to use it. Kayla had no interest in the basketball game their brother's had.

"What's up, Alex?" Kayla asked, walking over to Alex.

"Can you see if its even?" Alex brushed her hair off her shoulders and it cascaded behind them. Kayla examined her hair and made several snips with the scissors. Kayla then began to brush through Alex's wavey hair that also has some curls but she heated the brush so it'll dry Alex's hair as she brushed through it.

"Honestly, I think I was secretly born as Aphrodite's daughter." Kayla joked. Alex giggled. "You don't know how relieved I was when I found out I have a sister! I just couldn't handle all those boys. We don't understand each other and have different values."

There was a knock on the cabin door. It was Chiron.

"There's an Iris-message from Macy for you, Alex." He informed.

"Thanks, Kayla." Alex followed Chiron to the Big House and took her to a private room. "Thanks, Chiron."

"You're welcome." He gave a small nod and left the room, closing the door behind him.

"Yo, Robinson!" Macy called from the Iris-message. Alex sat down in front of it.

"Hi, Macy. What's up?"

"Same old, same old. Glad to see that you're alive. I've been working on my archery skills. We should have a contest sometime. We also have to have that rematch of DDR." Macy looked really happy and wore a silver ski jacket that suited her very well. She still had a silvery aura that looked natural on her. She had made the right decision.

Alex told her everything's that's happened after Alex was turned to stone. Macy suddenly turned serious after Alex finished.

"I wanted to talk to you about something else." Macy began. "I think you should reconsider joining the hunters."

"I can't. I have Tyler." Alex reminded.

"I think it's really important that you join us. I've learned a lot from Thalia. Alex, you're a pawn now. But you can escape if you join us. That's why Thalia joined. To escape being a pawn to the titans. And the gods, but mainly because she wanted to avoid the Great Prophecy so Percy will be the one." Macy explained.

"I'm not a pawn!" Alex protested.

"Please, just think about it? I worry about you. You're in the game now. They know what you can do. They'll use you." Alex laughed.

"How can they use me if I'm completely useless?" Alex joked. Macy tried to hold a serious face, but she broke a smile. They chatted for a while like they were home at the orphanage together. Alex and Macy had to say their goodbyes when Alex's free period was over.

That evening, Alex led the singalong. Percy teased her about it, so she gave him a bruise on the arm. After the singalong, everyone went back to their cabins.

There was something bugging Alex as she laid in bed after the lights went out.


	45. Chapter 45

"Percy..." Alex whispered. She crept inside the Poseidon cabin towards his bed. He sat up. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

"No." He yawned. "What's are you doing here? You'll get in so much trouble. How'd you sneak out?"

"I made an illusion." Alex checked her watch from Artemis. "I've got about 59% left. Anyway, I forgot to tell you something. I just wanted to say thank you."

"Thank you? For what?"

"Everything. You've been really nice to me, even before we met when you got me a guitar for my birthday." Alex explained. "You've saved my life so much. I really owe you one."

"You've saved me too. It was nothing." Percy looked around. "So, everyone's asleep?"

"Yep. I should probably let you get some shut eye.." Alex replied.

"Can you do me a favor?" Percy looked down and hid his face, which was full of embarrassment. "I was wondering if you could teach me how to dance."

"Dance? Like hip hop or ballroom?" Alex wondered if she heard correctly.

"Ballroom." Percy replied. "I remember you mentioned you really wanted to go to your prom. I've realized that I do too. With Annabeth. But I can't dance really well. And I want to surprise Annabeth with it. I want to do it privately."

"Well, c'mon. Lets begin." Alex took his hand and pulled him out of his bed on his feet.

"Wait, we don't have any music." Percy protested.

"We can make our own." Alex replied. "I'll lead. I'll start slow, but let's pick it up as we do it. Eventually, you'll have to take over." Alex explained. "Hand on my hip." She put his hand on her hip and placed her hand on his shoulder. She could tell Percy was embarrassed and feeling very awkward. "You can also just hold Annabeth and sway." Alex gave a demonstration by hugging him and moved his arms to her waist. They just kind of danced slowly, swaying and going in circles.

Alex sang softly and began to lead in an easy dance. She started slow, but she gradually picked up the pace. There were a couple incidents where Percy accidentally stepped on her feet, but she never complained.

"Do you know why Clarisse is wearing a wig and is eyebrowless?" Percy asked.

"When I first arrived here, she started to bully me. I accidentally burned off every hair off her body. I think she might be over it now. Or won't get revenge because she and Peyton are really good friends." Alex replied. Percy laughed.

Their dance was interrupted by a woman. She looked like your average Mom. She has long, chocolate brown hair woven into a braid with gold ribbons and wears a simple white dress that ripples like oil on water as she moved towards the pair. She has brown eyes. She is tall, graceful, very beautiful, but also a very intimidating sight with eyes glazed with power.

Percy and Alex quickly stepped apart. Alex remembered seeing her last night, and remembered she was strangely quiet.

"Hera," Percy spoke. Yup, Alex was correct.

"Good evening, Perseus and Alexandra." She greeted.

"It's Alex." Alex corrected, very irritated. But she snorted at Perseus.

"I'm glad you're both here. I needed to speak to you very urgently." She went on, ignoring Alex. "After more discussions, we've decided to make an exception for you, Alexandra. You can come back to Olympus with me."

"What?! No!" Alex's jaw dropped like fifty feet.

"I won't leave here without you." She said strongly.

"Then it looks like you'll be stuck here with Mr. D! I'm not ready. I'm not leaving my friends behind." Alex protested defiantly.

"Apollo insisted that I bring you back. I'll drag you back kicking and screaming if I have to." Alex sat on the floor.

"I'd like to see you try." Alex snapped.

"I don't want to fight with you. You were like a daughter to me. I even held you in my arms when you were a baby." Alex did not reply or move. "So be it." Hera said simply. She composed herself. "Go back to your cabin. You're breaking the rules. I have to talk to Percy privately." Alex stood, but she didn't leave Percy's side. She had a déjà vu moment, even though this never happened. She knew this is because all of Apollo's children had this precognition. Yes, Alex got both precognition and visions.

"No." Alex stated firmly. She had a bad feeling about this.

"You must be exhausted. You need to go to sleep. Mother knows best."

"Yeah, well, I haven't got one." The words kind of hurt Alex at the reality. She knew it was the truth since she died, but the reality really struck her sometimes.

"Go. You need your rest. Thanks for helping me." Percy urged quietly. Alex opened her mouth to protest, but he gave her a look. She sighed and reluctantly left the Poseidon cabin. Alex checked her watch. 46%. Alex conjured up another illusion that made her invisible.

"Like they actually believed that I would actually go back to my cabin." Alex laughed to herself. She peeked inside the window where she clearly saw Hera and Percy.

"Don't worry. You won't feel a thing." Before Percy could react, Hera put her hand on Percy's head. His eyes glazes over and widened, but they were blank.

"No! Stop!" Alex screamed. She ran inside and made herself visible again. "Percy! Hera, what are you doing? Stop it!" Alex tried to pull Hera away from Percy.

"Stop it. You're distracting me." Hera commanded firmly. Hera's hand was glowing and she seemed to have pulled a ball of light from Percy's head. Alex peered at it, and saw all of Percy's memories of his childhood and growing up. His memories. Alex grabbed the ball of light and there was a struggle between the goddess and the demigod.

Hera won the struggle and she blasted Alex back with a strange force. Alex had broken a small piece of the ball of light. Hera didn't seem to notice. As Alex was flung back, her hand touched Percy and the fragment disappeared and Alex hit the wall with such force that Alex was knocked unconscious.


	46. Chapter 46

It was just before the butt crack of dawn when Alex awoke on the floor of the Poseidon cabin. It was deserted.

"Percy?" Alex called nervously. "Percy?" She tore apart his cabin. "Percy!" Alex rushed out of his cabin and began to tear the entire camp apart. She looked under every rock and in every nook and cranny. She even swam to the bottom of the lake for him.

Alex turned herself invisible and checked inside every cabin. First was Athena. Maybe he decided to break the rules and go see Annabeth. That's what Alex would've done to see Tyler. He wasn't there.

Cabin by cabin, Alex searched for him, destroying them in the process. She almost fell asleep in the Hypnos cabin, but she had to remain focused. She checked the stables in case Blackjack was there. If Blackjack was there, maybe Percy went to see him? Blackjack wasn't there.

Alex flew into the forest and looked everywhere for Percy. She searched specifically for the Bronze Dragon. Maybe Percy wandered into the woods and the dragon got him. She encountered it, but there wasn't a trace of Percy.

"PERCYYYYYY!" Alex screamed. She fell to her knees sobbing. Percy, one of her closest friends, was gone. And it was all her fault.

* * *

**Author: hey guys! Minimoe30 here. Now that this long prequel to the Lost Hero is completed, I want to know if you think that Tyler, Alex, and Peyton should be a part of the Heroes of Olympus series and the Prophecy of the Seven? Lemme know and I'll start writing! Thanks for reading! **


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